10 Best Performing Pharma Stocks So Far in 2025

5. Verona Pharma plc (NASDAQ:VRNA)

YTD Performance: 37.31%

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 42

Verona Pharma plc (NASDAQ:VRNA) is a UK-based biopharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes therapeutics for treating respiratory diseases with unmet medical needs. The FDA’s June 2024 approval of its drug Ohtuvayre to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was a significant catalyst for the company.

Analysts project this blockbuster drug’s sales potential to top $1 billion by 2029. Right now, Verona Pharma plc (NASDAQ:VRNA) is in the early stages of disseminating the treatment, with net sales of around $36 million in fiscal Q4 2024, according to the company’s preliminary earnings release. CEO David Zaccardelli was of the view that the drug is off to an “exceptionally strong start,” with more than 3,500 unique prescribers and over 16,000 prescriptions filled in 2024.

In addition, approximately 45% of Tier 1 healthcare professionals prescribed Ohtuvayre, reflecting its potential. Verona Pharma plc (NASDAQ:VRNA) takes the fifth spot on our list of the 10 best-performing pharma stocks so far in 2025.