XML 18 R7.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.23.2
Organization and description of business operations
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2023
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Organization and description of business operations Organization and description of business operations
Verona Pharma plc (the “Company”) is incorporated and domiciled in the United Kingdom. Verona Pharma plc has one wholly-owned subsidiary, Verona Pharma, Inc., a Delaware corporation. The address of the registered office is 1 Central Square, Cardiff, CF10 1FS, United Kingdom.
The Company is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical group focused on developing and commercializing innovative therapeutics for the treatment of respiratory diseases with significant unmet medical needs. The Company’s American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”) are listed on the Nasdaq Global Market (“Nasdaq”) and trade under the symbol “VRNA”.
In June 2023, the Company submitted a New Drug Application (“NDA”) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for approval of ensifentrine for the maintenance treatment of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (“COPD”) and is preparing for a potential commercial launch in 2024, subject to approval of the NDA. In conjunction with the submission, the Company paid a $3.2 million Prescription Drug User Fee Act (“PDUFA”) application fee to the FDA. The Company has requested a small business waiver of this application fee and, as such, the amount has been recorded within Other current assets in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Liquidity
The Company has incurred recurring losses and negative cash flows from operations since inception, and has an accumulated deficit of $359.1 million as of June 30, 2023. The Company expects to incur additional losses and negative cash flows from operations until its products potentially gain regulatory approval and reach commercial profitability, if at all.
The Company expects that its cash and cash equivalents as of June 30, 2023, will be sufficient to fund its operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements for at least the next 12 months from the date of issuance.
During the six months ended June 30, 2023, the Company sold 20,321,384 ordinary shares (equivalent to 2,540,173 ADSs) under the at-the-market offering program entered into in March 2021 (the “2021 ATM Program”). The shares sold were at an average price of approximately $2.88 per share (equivalent to $23.08 per ADS), raising aggregate net proceeds of approximately $56.9 million after deducting issuance costs.
In March 2023, through a registration statement on Form S-3, the Company replaced the 2021 ATM Program, with an open market sale agreement with Jefferies LLC (“Jefferies”) to sell its ordinary shares, in the form of ADSs, with aggregate gross proceeds of up to $200.0 million, from time-to-time, through an “at the market” equity offering program under which Jefferies will act as sales agent (the “2023 ATM Program”). Jefferies is entitled to a commission at a rate of up to 3.0% of the gross proceeds.
The Company’s commercial revenue, if any, will be derived from sales of products that we do not expect to be commercially available within the next year, if ever. Additionally, the Company may enter into out-licensing transactions from time to time but there can be no assurance that the Company can secure such transactions in the future. Accordingly, the Company may need to obtain substantial additional funds to achieve its business objectives including to further advance clinical and regulatory activities, to fund prelaunch and launch related costs and to create an effective sales and marketing organization to commercialize ensifentrine, if approved. Any such funding will need to be obtained through public or private financings, debt financing, collaboration or licensing arrangements or other arrangements. However, there is no guarantee the Company will be successful in securing additional capital on acceptable terms, or at all.