Lisa Deschamps Joins Verona Pharma as Non-Executive Director

LONDON and RALEIGH, N.C., March 02, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Verona Pharma plc (Nasdaq: VRNA) (“Verona Pharma”), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on respiratory diseases, announces, effective March 1, 2021, Ms. Lisa Deschamps has joined the board as a Non-Executive Director.

Ms. Deschamps is Senior Vice President, Chief Business Officer, of Novartis Gene Therapies (GTx) where she is responsible for strategic planning and worldwide commercialization of pipeline and in-market assets across the gene therapy portfolio. This includes managing significant revenue growth targets and profitability margins worldwide.

Prior to this role, Ms. Deschamps was the Head of the Global Neuroscience Franchise. During her 25-year career at Novartis, she has successfully brought small molecules, biologics and gene therapies from the clinic to commercialization. Throughout her tenure, Ms. Deschamps has gained significant global and US experience in bringing respiratory and other specialized therapeutic area products to the marketplace. In addition, she has extensive experience in the exploration of potential acquisition and partnering opportunities.

“We are delighted to welcome Lisa to the Board,” said Dr. David Ebsworth, Chairperson of Verona Pharma. “Her wealth of leadership, strategic and commercial expertise will be valuable as we progress ensifentrine through Phase 3 trials and prepare for commercialization.”

Ms. Deschamps serves on a number of commercial and development executive teams within the Novartis enterprise. She has an MBA in General Management from NYU Stern School of Business and a BBA in marketing from IONA College, Hagan School of Business.

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About Verona Pharma

Verona Pharma is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing innovative therapies for the treatment of respiratory diseases with significant unmet medical needs. If successfully developed and approved, Verona Pharma’s product candidate, ensifentrine, has the potential to be the first therapy for the treatment of respiratory diseases that combines bronchodilator and anti-inflammatory activities in one compound. The Company is evaluating nebulized ensifentrine in its Phase 3 clinical program ENHANCE (“Ensifentrine as a Novel inHAled Nebulized COPD thErapy”) for COPD maintenance treatment. Two additional formulations of ensifentrine are currently in Phase 2 development for the treatment of COPD: dry powder inhaler (“DPI”) and pressurized metered-dose inhaler (“pMDI”). Ensifentrine is being evaluated in a pilot clinical study in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and has potential applications in cystic fibrosis, asthma and other respiratory diseases. For more information, please visit www.veronapharma.com.

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