 Mereo BioPharma Group plc NASDAQ: MREO, AIM: MPH, Mereo or the Company, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on rare diseases, today announced that it has entered into a 5 million convertible equity financing with Novartis Pharma AG Novartis and concurrently entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement to issue up to 28 million of the Companys ordinary shares exchangeable for American Depositary Shares ADSs, including a 3 million initial purchase, with Aspire Capital Fund, LLC Aspire Capital, a Chicago-based institutional investor. Proceeds from these transactions are intended to be used by Mereo for general corporate purposes, including clinical trial activity and working capital. 