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Merck recently announced that it will be acquiring Verona Pharma.  The deal is slated to potentially offset losses as Merck’s blockbuster Keytruda gives way to generic competition.  Verona’s principle drug is Ohtuvayre, which is an inhaled treatment indicated for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).  Ohtuvayre was approved in June 2024 in the U.S., and it has received five years of NCE exclusivity.  Merck has high hopes for Ohtuvayre, and some analysts have suggested the drug to reach $4 billion a year.  The drug is only protected by four patents, including a polymorph patent that expires in 2031, but could receive another five years of PTE.  Is that enough to protect Merck’s acquisition of Verona?