Verona Pharma plc

TR-1: Standard form for notification of major holdings

LONDON and RALEIGH, N.C., July 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR HOLDINGS (to be sent to the relevant issuer and to the FCA in Microsoft Word format if possible) i
1a. Identity of the issuer or the underlying issuer of existing shares to which voting rights are attached ii :			Verona Pharma plc
1b. Please indicate if the issuer is a non-UK issuer   (please mark with an “X” if appropriate)
Non-UK issuer
2. Reason for the notification (please mark the appropriate box or boxes with an “X”)
An acquisition or disposal of voting rights						X
An acquisition or disposal of financial instruments
An event changing the breakdown of voting rights
Other (please specify) iii :
3. Details of person subject to the notification obligation iv
Name			Abingworth LLP Abingworth Bioventures VI LP
City and country of registered office (if applicable)			London, UK
4. Full name of shareholder (s) (if different from 3.) v
Name			State Street (Nominees) Limited (as nominee for Abingworth Bioventures VI LP)
City and country of registered office (if applicable)			London, UK
5. Date on which the threshold was crossed or reached vi :			22/07/2020
6. Date on which issuer notified (DD / MM / YYYY):			30/07/2020
7. Total positions of person (s) subject to the notification obligation
	% of voting rights attached to shares (total of 8. A)	% of voting rights through financial instruments (total of 8.B 1 + 8.B 2)		Total of both in% (8.A + 8.B)	Total number of voting rights of issuer vii
Resulting situation on the date on which threshold was crossed or reached	4.75			4.75	414,278,294
Position of previous notification (if applicable)	6.90			6.90

8. Notified details of the resulting situation on the date on which the threshold was crossed or reached viii
A: Voting rights attached to shares
Class / type of shares ISIN code (if possible)		Number of voting rights ix					% of voting rights
		Direct (Art. 9 of Directive 2004/109 / EC) (DTR5.1)		Indirect (Art. 10 of Directive 2004/109 / EC) (DTR5.2.1)			Direct (Art. 9 of Directive 2004/109 / EC) (DTR5.1)		Indirect (Art. 10 of Directive 2004/109 / EC) (DTR5.2.1)
Verona Pharma plc GB00BYW2KH80 5p Ords		1					less than 0.01
Verona Pharma plc US9250501064 ADSs		19,660,000					4.75
SUBTOTAL 8. A		19,660,001					4.75
B 1: Financial Instruments according to Art. 13 (1) (a) of Directive 2004/109 / EC (DTR5.3.1.1 (a))
Type of financial instrument		Expiration date x	Exercise / Conversion Period xi			Number of voting rights that may be acquired if the instrument is exercised / converted.			% of voting rights
			SUBTOTAL 8. B 1
B 2: Financial Instruments with similar economic effect according to Art. 13 (1) (b) of Directive 2004/109 / EC (DTR5.3.1.1 (b))
Type of financial instrument	Expiration date x		Exercise / Conversion Period xi		Physical or cash settlement xii			Number of voting rights	% of voting rights
					SUBTOTAL 8.B.2

9. Information in relation to the person subject to the notification obligation (please mark the applicable box with an “X”)
Person subject to the notification obligation is not controlled by any natural person or legal entity and does not control any other undertaking (s) holding directly or indirectly an interest in the (underlying) issuer xiii
Full chain of controlled undertakings through which the voting rights and / or the financial instruments are effectively held starting with the ultimate controlling natural person or legal entity xiv (please add additional rows as necessary)				X
Name xv	% of voting rights if it equals or is higher than the notifiable threshold	% of voting rights through financial instruments if it equals or is higher than the notifiable threshold	Total of both if it equals or is higher than the notifiable threshold
Abingworth LLP	4.75		4.75
Abingworth Bioventures VI LP	less than 0.01		less than 0.01
10. In case of proxy voting, please identify:
Name of the proxy holder
The number and% of voting rights held
The date until which the voting rights will be held
11. Additional information xvi
Abingworth Bioventures VI LP (which holds 19,660,001 shares in the company (4.75%)) is managed by Abingworth LLP.

Place of completion	Outside a trading venue
Date of completion	30 July 2020

For further information, please contact:

Verona Pharma plc	Tel: [phone]
David Zaccardelli, Chief Executive Officer	[e-mail]
Victoria Stewart, Director of Communications
N + 1 Singer (Nominated Adviser and UK Broker)	Tel: [phone]
Aubrey Powell / George Tzimas / Iqra Amin (Corporate Finance)
Tom Salvesen (Corporate Broking)