Novo Nordisk news

Novo Nordisk announced today that it has entered into a consent agreement with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and a deferred prosecution agreement with the US Department of Justice (DOJ) resolving their investigations of the company’s sales to Iraq during 2000 to 2003 under the UN’s Oil-for-Food programme.

Novo Nordisk and VLST Corporation, a Seattle-based biotechnology company focused on the development of therapeutics for autoimmune and inflammatory disorders, today announced that the companies have entered into an exclusive, worldwide collaboration agreement to develop therapeutic targets utilising VLST’s technology platform in the fields of autoimmune and inflammatory disorders.

Novo Nordisk today announced that it will provide diabetes care, including free insulin, to 10,000 children in some of the world’s poorest countries. The five-year programme, called ‘Changing the Future for Children with Diabetes’, will begin in 2009 with an initial roll-out in Uganda, Tanzania, Guinea-Conakry and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

A global survey studying children with diabetes has identified a failure of current healthcare systems to give adequate social and psychological support for young people with diabetes. The current lack of support often leads to poor control of their disease resulting in long-term health complications.

Novo Nordisk today announced a major investment in a new insulin production plant in Tianjin, China. The plant has been designated Novo Nordisk’s primary production base in the Asia Pacific region and will supply both China and export markets.

Novo Nordisk A/S, a world leader in diabetes care, Cellartis AB, a forefront stem cell biotechnology company, and Lund University Stem Cell Center today signed a collaborative research agreement for the development of insulin-producing cells from human stem cells.

MONTREAL – Today, at the Canadian Diabetes Association Congress, physicians will get a first-time look at more detailed results from a phase 3b clinical study (LEAD™ 6) comparing the investigational new drug liraglutide to exenatide.

Novo Nordisk A/S and Innate Pharma have reached an agreement by which Innate Pharma is granted development and commercialisation rights to NN1975/IPH 2101 in exchange for EUR 2.5 million upfront payment, milestone payments and royalties on future sales of IPH 2101. In addition, Novo Nordisk receives fully paid-up exclusive rights to NN8555/IPH 2301.

Data from a 52-week phase 3 study (LEAD™ 3) of liraglutide, a once-daily human GLP-1 analogue, were published today by The Lancet.

Novo Nordisk today announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire intellectual property rights from Neose Technologies Inc. related to Neose’s proprietary GlycoPEGylation technology. The acquired rights are currently subject to a license from Neose for Novo Nordisk’s development of GlycoPEGylated recombinant blood clotting factors FVIIa, FVIII and FIX.