Novo Nordisk $69m Plant Conversion For New Diabetes Drug

Novo Nordisk says the $69 investment in its Danish plant will convert capacity ready for its new GLP-1 analogue and is a further commitment to Danish manufacturing.

Planned to be operational by the first quarter of 2014, the DK380m plant conversion will, according to the company, create 50 new jobs at the Kalundborg facility, adding to the current workforce of over 2,400 people.

In a statement, Per Valstorp, Senior VP of Product Supply said “the Kalundborg investment reaffirms our long-term commitment to creating and maintaining jobs in Denmark.”

The Danish drugmaker has previously invested over DK7.5bn ($1.3bn) which manufactures amongst other things active pharmaceutical products (APIs) and finished products for Novo Nordisk’s diabetes drugs.

This new investment will convert existing manufacturing capacity ready for future production of the company’s latest GLP-1 analogue, semaglutide, which is currently in Phase III clinical trials.

Novo Nordisk already manufacture and market Victoza for the treatment of type 2 diabetes but, if found successful and approved, semaglutide could offer once-weekly alternative for sufferers.