Novo confirms 200-acre Denmark expansion plans

First reported by Reuters, this facility will potentially be used as a fill/finish plant to manufacture injection pens for Novo’s star weight loss drugs Wegovy and Ozempic (semaglutide).

Confirming the expansion, a spokesperson for Novo told BioProcess Insider, “With the political processes and approvals in place, we are pleased to announce that Novo Nordisk is now the owner of the site in Tietgenbyen in Odense.”

“We are still awaiting the outcome of our internal approval processes before we can make the final decision for what we plan to build at the end of the year. We will begin the preparatory excavation work on the southern part of the lot soon. We are very pleased with the opportunity to expand our production in Odense, which has now moved one step closer to a decision.”

Though the details, including the financials, have not been revealed, the Reuters report stated that an environmental report submitted in January suggests the site could be used for fill/finish production.

Furthermore, the report states the firm will potentially build a packaging plant by 2026 and a molding of plastic components for pens by 2030.

This news comes days after Novo confirmed an investment of $4.1 billion to build a second fill/finish manufacturing facility in Clayton, North Carolina, to produce injectables to treat obesity and serious chronic diseases. The 1.4 million square-foot plant is expected to create 1,000 jobs and will double the firm’s combined square footage in North Carolina. The plant is expected to be operational between 2027 and 2029.

For 2023, Ozempic (semaglutide) contributed DK 95 billion ($13.7 billion) to Novo Nordisk’s topline, while Wegovy brought in a further DK 31 billion ($4.5 billion).