Overview
Novo Nordisk A/S is a Danish global healthcare company founded in 1923. It develops and supplies medicines for serious chronic diseases, with a focus on diabetes and obesity and treatments for rare blood and endocrine disorders. Its products include Ozempic for type 2 diabetes and Wegovy for obesity. The company states that its purpose is “driving change to defeat serious chronic diseases.” [1][2][3][4]
Novo Nordisk serves markets worldwide through US and international operations. In 2025, it reported DKK 309.1 billion in net sales and 69,505 employees worldwide.[5][6] [3][4][1][2][5][6]
Products & services
Novo Nordisk’s principal diabetes and obesity medicines include three semaglutide products: Ozempic, a once-weekly injection for type 2 diabetes; Rybelsus, a once-daily oral treatment for type 2 diabetes; and Wegovy, a once-weekly injection for weight management. Its liraglutide products include Victoza for type 2 diabetes and Saxenda for weight management. In 2025, Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus accounted for approximately 41%, 26% and 7% of total sales, respectively.[7][8][9][5]
Its insulin portfolio includes rapid-acting mealtime products NovoRapid and Fiasp, the long-acting basal insulin Tresiba, premixed NovoMix and Awiqli, a once-weekly basal insulin. The company also supplies injection devices, including NovoPen 6 and NovoPen Echo Plus, which record insulin dose and timing for sharing with compatible applications.[10][11][12][13][14][15]
For rare diseases, Novo Nordisk offers growth-hormone treatments Norditropin, administered daily, and Sogroya, administered weekly. Its bleeding-disorder medicines include NovoSeven, an activated factor VII treatment; Esperoct and Refixia, factor VIII and IX replacement treatments for haemophilia A and B, respectively; and Alhemo, a subcutaneous preventive treatment for haemophilia. Approved uses and product availability vary by market.[16][17][18][19][20][21] [22][22][22][3][5][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]
Geographic presence
Novo Nordisk A/S is headquartered in Bagsværd, Denmark, and sells its products through a broad international network; it reported affiliates in 80 countries in 2024. In 2025, US Operations accounted for DKK 173.2 billion, or approximately 56% of total sales. International Operations accounted for DKK 135.9 billion, or approximately 44%, comprising EUCAN (Europe and Canada; DKK 66.1 billion), Emerging Markets (principally Latin America, the Middle East and Africa; DKK 30.4 billion), APAC (DKK 20.7 billion) and Region China (Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan; DKK 18.7 billion).[23][24][25][26]
The company’s major production facilities are in Denmark, the United States, France, China and Brazil. Its active pharmaceutical ingredient production is concentrated in Kalundborg, Denmark, with other production locations in Denmark and the United States. In 2025, 57% of its employees were based outside Denmark.[27][28][29] [24][25][25][25][25][25][25][25][26][27][28][29][23]
Business segments
Novo Nordisk reports two business segments: Obesity and Diabetes care and Rare disease. Obesity and Diabetes care focuses on treatments for diabetes and obesity and generated DKK 289.5 billion in 2025 sales, about 94% of the company’s total. Within it, Diabetes care contributed DKK 207.1 billion (about 67% of total sales), principally from GLP-1 medicines and insulin, while Obesity care contributed DKK 82.3 billion (about 27%), principally from Wegovy and Saxenda. Rare disease generated DKK 19.6 billion (about 6% of total sales), comprising rare blood disorders, rare endocrine disorders and other rare-disease products.[5][30]
The company also reports sales by geography, a separate breakdown from its business segments. US Operations accounted for DKK 173.2 billion in 2025 sales (about 56% of the total), and International Operations for DKK 135.9 billion (about 44%). International Operations is further divided into EUCAN, International Emerging Markets, APAC and Region China.[30] [31][5][30]
Company history
Novo Nordisk traces its origins to two Danish insulin producers. Nordisk Insulinlaboratorium was established in 1923 by August and Marie Krogh, Hans Christian Hagedorn and August Kongsted; its insulin was used to treat patients that year. In 1925, brothers Harald and Thorvald Pedersen founded the competing Novo Terapeutisk Laboratorium. Novo introduced the NovoPen insulin injector in 1985, and the two companies merged in 1989 to form Novo Nordisk A/S.[32][33][34][35]
In 2000, Novo Nordisk separated its enzyme business into Novozymes, leaving the company focused on healthcare. Later milestones included European authorization of the diabetes treatment Victoza in 2009, US approval of the once-weekly diabetes treatment Ozempic in 2017, and US approval of the weight-management treatment Wegovy in 2021.[36][37][38][39] [32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39]
Sources
- www.novonordisk.com[1]
- annualreport.novonordisk.com[2]
- NOVO NORDISK A S — Full financial report (2025 Y)
- annualreport.novonordisk.com[5]
- annualreport.novonordisk.com[6]
- www.ema.europa.eu[7]
- www.ema.europa.eu[8]
- www.ema.europa.eu[9]
- www.ema.europa.eu[10]
- www.ema.europa.eu[11]
- www.ema.europa.eu[12]
- www.ema.europa.eu[13]
- www.ema.europa.eu[14]
- www.novonordisk.com[15]
- www.novonordisk.com[16]
- www.ema.europa.eu[17]
- www.ema.europa.eu[18]
- www.ema.europa.eu[19]
- www.ema.europa.eu[20]
- www.accessdata.fda.gov[21]
- annualreport.novonordisk.com[23]
- NOVO NORDISK A S — Full financial report (2024 Y)[24]
- NOVO NORDISK B — Full financial report (2025 Y)[25][26]
- annualreport.novonordisk.com[30]
- www.novonordisk.com[32]
- novonordiskfonden.dk[33]
- pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov[34]
- pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov[35]
- www.globenewswire.com[36]
- www.globenewswire.com[37]
- www.accessdata.fda.gov[38]
- www.accessdata.fda.gov[39]
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