Novo Nordisk to Pump $220M into Denmark with New Ingredients Facility

As Novo Nordisk's GLP-1 drugs Ozempic and Wegovy achieve greater supply stability, the Danish pharmaceutical giant remains focused on significant expansion efforts. Novo Nordisk Pharmatech, the company's dedicated drug ingredients division, has announced a major investment of 1.5 billion Danish kroner (approximately $220 million) for a new facility in Køge, Denmark. This ambitious project will construct an 8,000-square-meter (about 86,000-square-foot) plant designed for the production of raw materials, alongside storage, office, and laboratory spaces. Expected to be operational by 2027, the new facility will create 50 jobs and represents the largest investment in Novo Nordisk Pharmatech's 75-year history.

Novo Nordisk Pharmatech has unveiled plans for a new facility in Køge, Denmark, set to focus on producing raw materials for the company’s range of chronic disease medications. This announcement marks the latest phase in Novo Nordisk's ongoing global expansion efforts, particularly aimed at scaling up GLP-1 production capabilities. In a parallel effort, Novo Nordisk has committed an impressive $4.1 billion for a second fill-finish plant in Clayton, North Carolina. This new plant, spanning 1.4 million square feet, will double the manufacturing space currently available at Novo’s three existing sites in the U.S.

Closer to home, Novo Nordisk invested over 42 billion Danish kroner (around $6 billion) last year to enhance its production facilities in Kalundborg, Denmark. This investment primarily supports an expansion in the capacity for active pharmaceutical ingredients, including the production of semaglutide for Ozempic and Wegovy. The new 170,000-square-meter (1.83 million-square-foot) API plant is scheduled for gradual completion between late 2025 and 2029. Additionally, Novo Nordisk recently acquired a 200-acre site in Odense, Denmark’s third largest city. This move suggests preparations for yet another potential production facility, reflecting the company's robust growth trajectory.

Novo Nordisk has not disclosed the financial specifics of its recent land acquisition in Odense, nor has it clarified the intended use for the new location. However, an environmental report from January hinted that the site might be developed for fill-finish production, according to Reuters.

A spokesperson of the company said, “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. She suggested Novo would make a final determination on the purpose of the site by year-end once the company has wrapped up an internal review process.”