Novo Nordisk

Novo Nordisk A/S
Type Publicly traded Aktieselskab
Traded as OMXNOVO B, NYSENVO
Industry Pharmaceuticals, health care
Founded 1923
Headquarters Bagsværd, Denmark
Key people Sten Scheibye (Chairman), Lars Rebien Sørensen (President and CEO), Jesper Brandgaard (CFO)
Products Activella, Novolin,
Levemir, NovoSeven
Revenue DKK 60.78 billion (2010)[1]
Operating income DKK 18.89 billion (2010)[1]
Profit DKK 14.40 billion (2010)[1]
Total assets DKK 61.40 billion (end 2010)[1]
Total equity DKK 36.97 billion (end 2010)[1]
Employees 30,480 (end 2010)[1]
Website www.novonordisk.com

Novo Nordisk manufactures and markets pharmaceutical products and services. Created in 1989 through a merger of two Danish companies dating back to the 1920s, it has become one of the world's leading companies in diabetes care, where Novo Nordisk pursues research into pulmonary delivery systems; other companies, such as Medtronic, have expanded into insulin pump systems. Novo Nordisk also commands large sectors of the markets in haemostasis management, growth hormone therapy and hormone replacement therapy. They are beginning research in the areas of autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases, using novel technologies such as translational immunology and monoclonal antibodies [2]

With headquarters in Denmark, Novo Nordisk has international production facilities in seven countries, with affiliates or offices in 76 countries. Novo Nordisk employs approximately 29,000 people globally (as of Q4 2009), and markets its products in 179 countries.

Novo Nordisk is a full member of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA).[3]

Novo Nordisk has been ranked 25 among 100 Best companies to work for 2010 by Fortune.[4]

Contents

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Collaborative Research

Toxicogenomics

In addition to internal research and development activities Novo Nordisk is also involved in publicly funded collaborative research projects, with other industrial and academic partners. One example in the area of non-clinical safety assessment is the InnoMed PredTox.[5][6] The company is expanding its activities in joint research projects within the framework of the Innovative Medicines Initiative of EFPIA and the European Commission.[7]

Diabetes

Novo Nordisk founded the World Diabetes foundation[8] to save the lives of those affected by diabetes in developing countries and were instrumental in achieving a UN resolution to fight diabetes, making diabetes the only other disease alongside HIV / AIDS to have a commitment to combat at a UN level.

Additional Research

Inflammation

Novo Nordisk is committed to the development of immunotherapies to combat chronic inflammatory diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, inflammatory bowel disease, and psoriatic arthritis. [9] A new Seattle-based branch was opened as of September 2009 with the goal of applying Novo Nordisk’s strong background in the field of proteins to inflammation research. [10] Crohn’s disease, for example, is an inflammatory bowel disease that Novo Nordisk is attempting to target with NN8555, an Anti-NKG2D monoclonal antibody that targets natural killer cells. [11] NN8555 is currently undergoing phase II clinical trials. [12]

Translationial Immunology

Translational immunology is a new technology that involves testing a drug candidate ex vivo within human tissue samples before the drug enters into human trials. This process allows researchers to directly assess human immune responses. [13] Not all of the data found in mouse models can be directly translated to humans. Because of this, translational immunology is used by Novo Nordisk as an extra step in ensuring the safety and efficacy of their candidate drugs prior to entering phase one clinical trials. [14]

Novo Nordisk currently is conducting pre-clinical trials using translational immunology technology which have resulted in promising results. The pre-clinical trials are studying a novel drug for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. The drug works as an inhibitory receptor, down-regulating the immune response. Three studies were conducted looking at Interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels, osteoclasts levels, and synoviocyte levels, all of which are part of the immune response causing rheumatoid arthritis. The studies were conducted in tissue and synovial fluid cultures. In the cultures with the new therapeutic agent the samples were free of osteoclasts, IL-6, and synoviocytes proving the immune response was down-regulated. [15] The results from the current pre-clinical trials confirm that this new drug technology provides the extra step needed before human trials to assure the drug is an adequate candidate.

Pharmaceutical Brands

Levemir

Levemir is the company brand name for insulin detemir [recombinant DNA origin]. It is a long-acting insulin analog with a subsitited Lys-(N-tetra decanoyl) for B28, the 28th amino acid on the B chain of insulin. It is a soluble insulin analog for injection.[16] Levemir is used to treat adult patients with diabetes for the control of high blood sugar.[17]

NovoLog/NovoRapid

NovoLog is the company brand name for insulin aspart, a rapid-acting soluble insulin for injection. It has a substituted aspartic acid for proline on B28 .[16]

NovoLog Mix 70/30

Novolog mix is a 70% insulin aspart protamine suspension and 30% insulin aspart for injection.[16]

Novolin R

Novolin R is the company brand name for regular insulin.

NovoSeven

NovoSeven is a recombinant factor VII. It is a vitamin K-dependent gycosylated serine protease proenzyme. It is used in the treatment of hemophilia in cases of bleeding episodes or prevention of bleeding in surgical intervention. NovoSeven is intended for intravenous bolus injection.[18]

Norditropin

Norditropin is a brand name for somatropin, a polypeptide hormone of recombinant DNA origin. It contains the identical sequence of 191 amino acids in naturally occurring pituitary human growth hormone (hGH).

Victoza

The Novo Nordisk logo since the year after the company’s foundation is the Apis bull, one of the sacred animals of ancient Egypt. The Apis bull was worshipped as the incarnation of Ptah, creator of the universe, city god of Memphis and the patron deity of craftsmen. The logo is a stylised reproduction of an Egyptian statuette dating from circa 664–323 BC. It is richly ornamented with symbols representing, among other things, the eternal dualities of life, day and night, life and death. The choice of the logo follows an old European chemist's tradition of identifying pharmacies by an animal symbol.

Unite for Diabetes

Novo Nordisk have sponsored the International Diabetes Federation's Unite for Diabetes campaign — one of many campaigns that helped to successfully pass UN Resolution 61/225, making November 14 World Diabetes Day.[19]

The company has also launched the Novo Nordisk Changing Diabetes World Tour — a truck that folds out into an educational and awareness-developing bus. The vehicle was launched in Copenhagen in September 2005 and has visited Europe, Africa, Australia, Asia, the Indian subcontinent and the United States. The bus journey culminated in being stationed in New York City for the inaugural World Diabetes Day on November 14, 2007.[20]

Victoza controversy

In 2010 Novo Nordisk breached the ABPIs code of conduct by failing to provide information about side-effects of Victoza and by promoting Victoza prior to being granted market authorization.[21]

Timeline

Novo Nordisk was created in 1989 through a merger between two Danish companies – Novo Industri A/S and Nordisk Gentofte A/S.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Annual Report 2010". Novo Nordisk. http://annualreport.novonordisk.com/web-media/pdfs/Novo-Nordisk-AR-2010-en.pdf. Retrieved 6 February 2011. 
  2. ^ “Biopharmaceutical Research Unit,” Novo Nordisk Corporation, accessed November 29, 2011, http://www.novonordisk.com/science/organisation/bru.asp
  3. ^ "The Pharmaceutical Industry in Figures - 2008 Edition". European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA). pp. 49. http://www.efpia.eu/content/default.asp?PageID=559&DocID=4883. Retrieved 2008-08-25. 
  4. ^ Money.CNN.com
  5. ^ Mattes WB (2008). "Public consortium efforts in toxicogenomics". Methods in Molecular Biology. Methods in Molecular Biology™ 460: 221–38. doi:10.1007/978-1-60327-048-9_11. ISBN 978-1-58829-638-2. PMID 18449490. 
  6. ^ "InnoMed PredTox Member Organizations". http://www.innomed-predtox.com/consortium/members/. Retrieved 2008-08-25. 
  7. ^ Innovative Medicines Initiative. "IMI Call Topics 2008". IMI-GB-018v2-24042008-CallTopics.pdf. European Commission. http://imi.europa.eu/docs/calls01_en.zip. Retrieved 2008-08-25. 
  8. ^ "World Diabetes Foundation website". http://www.worlddiabetesfoundation.org/composite-75.htm. Retrieved 2008-08-25. 
  9. ^ “Inflammation,” Novo Nordisk Corporation, accessed November 29, 2011, http://www.novonordisk.com/science/partnering/inflammation.asp.
  10. ^ “Novo Nordisk opens new research center in Seattle,” Novo Nordisk press release, September 18, 2009, on Novo Nordisk website, http://www.levemir.dk/press/news/news.asp?sNewsTypeGUID=&lMonth=0&lYear=2009&sLanguageCode=en-GB&sSearchText=&sShowNewsItemGUID=7947ef3e-9199-4c47-b4eb-ef7c77923429&sShowLanguageCode=en-GB, accessed November 2011.
  11. ^ “Novo Nordisk and Innate Pharma swap product rights,” Novo Nordisk press release, October 6, 2008, on Novo Nordisk website, http://www.novonordisk.com/press/news/news.asp?sNewsTypeGUID=&lMonth=&lYear=&sLanguageCode=&sSearchText=Anti-NKG2D&sShowNewsItemGUID=45cadd39-2d8c-4d42-9db0-ac81d01824cd&sShowLanguageCode=en-GB, accessed November 2011.
  12. ^ “Anti-NKG2D,” Novo Nordisk Corporation, accessed November 29, 2011, http://www.novonordisk.com/science/pipeline/rd_pipeline.asp?showid=9.
  13. ^ Ueno, Hideki, Hawrylowicz, Catherine M., Banchereau, “Immunological intervention in human diseases,” Journal of Translational Medicine (2007): accessed November 23, 2011, doi:10.1186/1479-5876-5-59.
  14. ^ C. M. Dayan and D. C. Wraith, “Preparing for first-in-man studies: the challenges for translational immunology post-TGN1412.” Clinical and Experimental Immunology 151 (2007): 231-234. Accessed November 22, 2011. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2249.2007.03559.x
  15. ^ Spee, Pieter, “Drug development based on patient studies ex vivo” Lecture, Novo Nordisk, Måløv, Denmark, Oct 19, 2011.
  16. ^ a b c “Insulin” Beals JM, DeFilippis MR, Kovach PM, Pharmaceutical Biotechnology
  17. ^ "Patient Information Sheet, Insulin Detemir [rDNA origin Injection (marketed as Levemir)"]. Archived from the original on 25 January 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080125131920/http://www.fda.gov/CDER/consumerinfo/druginfo/Levemir.htm. 
  18. ^ “Recombinant Coagulation Factors and Thrombolytic Agents” Modi N, Pharmaceutical Biotechnology
  19. ^ Wordldiabetesday.org
  20. ^ Diabetesbus.novonordisk.com
  21. ^ "Novo Nordisk Limited, Eli Lilly and Company Limited, GrĂĽnenthal Ltd and Napp Pharmaceuticals Limited named in advertisements". Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA). http://www.pmcpa.org.uk/?q=node/878. Retrieved 2011-02-07. 
  22. ^ Deckert T (August 2007). "Hans Christian Hagedorn (1888–1971)" (in Danish). Ugeskrift for Laeger 169 (35): 2883. PMID 17877991. 
  23. ^ Novo Nordisk
  24. ^ "Reasons for Selection, 2009 Greater Toronto's Top Employers Competition". http://www.eluta.ca/top-employer-novo-nordisk-canada. 
  25. ^ "Ethical leadership title to Novo companies". http://www.cphpost.dk/business/business/45461-ethical-leadership-title-to-novo-companies.html. 
  26. ^ "Novo Nordisk Agrees to Pay $9 Million Fine in Connection with Payment of $1.4 Million in Kickbacks Through the United Nations Oil-for-food Program". justice.gov. The United States Department of Justice. May 11, 2009. http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2009/May/09-crm-461.html. Retrieved 21 October 2011. 
  27. ^ "Novo Nordisk's Victoza(R) Receives FDA Approval for Adults With Type 2 Diabetes". http://pr-usa.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=323297&Itemid=96. 
  28. ^ "Insulin giant pulls medicine from Greece over price cut". BBC News. 2010-05-29. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10189367. 
  29. ^ "Danish Pharmaceutical Novo Nordisk to Pay $25 Million to Resolve Allegations of Off-Label Promotion of Novoseven". Justice.gov. The United States Department of Justice. June 10, 2010. http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2011/June/11-civ-764.html. Retrieved 21 October 2011. 
  30. ^ Silverman, Ed (March 30th, 2011). "Novo Nordisk Reprimanded For Poor Management". Pharmalot.com. UBM Canon Pharmaceutical Media Group. http://www.pharmalot.com/2011/03/novo-nordisk-reprimanded-for-poor-management/. Retrieved 21 October 2011. 

External links