Freshfields is advising Merck (NYSE: MRK) on its acquisition of Verona Pharma plc (Nasdaq: VRNA), a biopharmaceutical company focused on respiratory diseases, for a total transaction value of approximately $10 billion. This transaction will expand Merck’s pipeline and portfolio of treatments for cardio-pulmonary diseases. Learn more about this transaction here.

The Freshfields team was led by partners Damien Zoubek, Jenny Hochenberg, Kate Cooper, Rhys Evans and included senior legal consultant Kirsten Singleton, senior associate Max Sanders and associates Jenny Park, Ziqian Tao, Gabriela Roca Fernandez, Yuanmeng He and Jordan Camilleri. Partners Kristen Riemenschneider and Adam Golden and associates Laura Zhu, Shannon O’Hara, Juliana Zhang, Wolfgang Paulson, and Jenny Ge advised on life sciences matters. Partners Lori Goodman and Alice Greenwell, counsel Andrew Herman, senior associate Guy Huffen and associates AliceRose Sherman and Jemima Holt advised on employment and benefits matters. Partners Joe Soltis and Peter Clements and associates Jessica Berman and Ruth Coughlan are advised on tax matters. Partner Brock Dahl and Rachael Annear and associates Christine Chong and Linda Agaby advised on data privacy and security matters. Partner Jeremiah Nelson, associate Casey Hagen and associate Kate Koudona advised on real estate matters. Partner Kyle Lakin and associates Nicholas Mack and Faron Stalker advised on finance matters.