Verona Pharma plc                               

                          ("Verona Pharma" or the "Company")                       

                                Grant of Share Options                             

    10 February 2016, Cardiff - Verona Pharma plc (AIM: VRP) announces that the
    Board has on 9 February 2016 granted options over 14,900,000 ordinary shares
    ("Options") in the Company to one of its Directors and certain employees in
    accordance with the terms of the Company's share option plans. Half of the
    Options will vest on 9 February 2018 and the other half on 9 February 2019. The
    Options have a ten-year exercise window from the date of grant.

    Of the Options granted, 10,000,000 options have been granted to Dr. Jan-Anders
    Karlsson, half of which have an exercise price of 4 pence per option and the
    other half have an exercise price of 6.6 pence per option.

    Dr. Karlsson's total beneficial interest in the Company remains 2,870,000
    ordinary shares, representing 0.28% of the Company's issued share capital.
    Following this grant, Dr. Karlsson holds options over 38,000,000 ordinary
    shares, representing 3.76% of the Company's issued share capital, with a range
    of exercise prices between 2.5 and 15 pence per option.

                                        -Ends-                                     

    For further information please contact:

    Verona Pharma plc                      Tel: +44 (0)20 3283 4200              
                                                                                 
    Jan-Anders Karlsson, Chief Executive                                         
    Officer                                                                      
                                                                                 
    N+1 Singer                             Tel: +44 (0)20 7496 3000              
                                                                                 
    Aubrey Powell / Jen Boorer                                                   
                                                                                 
    FTI Consulting                         Tel: +44 (0)20 3727 1000              
                                                                                 
    Simon Conway / Stephanie Cuthbert /                                          
    Natalie Garland-Collins                                                      

    Notes to Editors

    About Verona Pharma plc

    Verona Pharma plc is a UK-based clinical stage biopharmaceutical company
    focused on the development of innovative prescription medicines to treat
    respiratory diseases with significant unmet medical needs, such as chronic
    obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma and cystic fibrosis.

    Verona Pharma's lead drug, RPL554, is a first-in-class drug currently in Phase
    II trials as a nebulised treatment for acute exacerbations of COPD in the
    hospital setting.  The drug is a dual phosphodiesterase (PDE) 3/4 inhibitor and
    therefore has both bronchodilator and anti-inflammatory effects, which are
    essential to the improvement of patients with COPD and asthma.

    Verona Pharma is also building a broader portfolio of RPL554-containing
    products to maximise its benefit to patients and its value.  This includes the
    very significant markets for COPD and asthma maintenance therapy.  The Company
    is also exploring the potential of the drug in different diseases, such as
    cystic fibrosis, where it is in pre-clinical testing and has received a Venture
    and Innovation Award from the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.