As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 9, 2024

Registration No. 333-

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

Verona Pharma plc

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

3 More London Riverside

London SE1 2RE

United Kingdom

(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

Verona Pharma plc Second Amended and Restated 2017 Incentive Award Plan

(Full title of the plan)

Cogency Global Inc.

122 East 42^nd Street, 18^th Floor

New York, New York 10168

(Name and address of agent for service)

(800) 221-0102

(Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

Copies to:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ¨

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This Registration Statement on Form S-8 is being filed for the purpose of registering an additional 34,745,648 ordinary shares, nominal value £0.05 per share, of Verona Pharma plc (the “Registrant”) that may become issuable under the Verona Pharma plc Second Amended and Restated 2017 Incentive Award Plan, as it may be amended or restated from time to time (the “2017 Plan”). A Registration Statement of the Registrant on Form S-8 relating to the 2017 Plan is effective.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF CONTENTS OF REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-8

The contents of the Registration Statements on Form S-8 (File Nos. 333-217521, 333-237926, 333-248199, 333-268389 and 333-271764), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, relating to the 2017 Plan, are incorporated herein by reference.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of London, United Kingdom, on this 10th day of May, 2024.

SIGNATURES AND POWER OF ATTORNEY

We, the undersigned officers and directors of Verona Pharma plc, hereby severally constitute and appoint David Zaccardelli and Mark W. Hahn, and each of them singly (with full power to each of them to act alone), our true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution in each of them for him and in his name, place and stead, and in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite or necessary to be done in and about the premises, as full to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them, or their or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED U.S. REPRESENTATIVE OF REGISTRANT

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the undersigned, the duly authorized representative in the United States of Verona Pharma plc, has signed this Registration Statement on Form S-8, in the City of New York, State of New York, on May 10, 2024.

ATTACHMENTS / EXHIBITS

EXHIBIT 5.1

EXHIBIT 23.1

EX-FILING FEES