July 9 (Reuters) - Merck ( MRK ) is nearing a roughly

$10 billion deal to buy lung disease-focused biotech Verona

Pharma, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday.

Merck ( MRK ) would pay $107 per American depository share for

Verona, the report said, citing three people familiar with the

matter.

Reuters couldn't immediately verify the report.

(Reporting by Kanjyik Ghosh in Bengaluru; Editing by Mrigank

Dhaniwala)