Novo Nordisk is investing massively to strengthen its production capacity.
The Danish laboratory is experiencing unprecedented success thanks to two drugs, for which global demand has exploded: Ozempic, an antidiabetic, as well as Wegovy, its appetite suppressant version, intended for people suffering from obesity.
Novo Nordisk is currently the only laboratory, with the American Lilly, to offer such a treatment against excess weight.
The demand is considerable, and the market, estimated at around 100 billion dollars.
The main difficulty, for Novo Nordisk as for Lilly, today consists of producing enough to meet demand.
Building on record results published last week - more than 11 billion euros in profits in 2023 and sales up 30%, to 31.2 billion euros - the Danish laboratory has just acquired Catalent, for 11 .5 billion dollars.
It is a manufacturer with three filling plants located in Belgium, Italy and the United States respectively.
This acquisition complements the significant investments we are already making in active pharmaceutical ingredient production facilities, and the sites will bring strategic flexibility to our existing network
Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen, Managing Director of Novo Nordisk
“This acquisition complements the significant investments we are already making in active pharmaceutical ingredient production facilities, and the sites will bring strategic flexibility to our existing network
,” explains Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen, CEO of Novo Nordisk.
In 2023, the laboratory had already invested 8 billion euros in its production sites, including in a French factory located in Chartres.
The capitalization of Novo Nordisk crossed the $500 billion mark on the stock market last week following its results.