As the first multinational company to open a research centre in China in 1997, Novo Nordisk now reaffirms its long-term commitment to the country by investing an additional 100 million US dollars to expand its state-of-the-art science facilities in Beijing.
The new 12,000m2 centre will make it possible to increase the number of science employees from the current 130 to 200, with extra space available to accommodate additional future growth. With this expansion, Novo Nordisk also fulfils its key strategic objective to ensure the full range of protein research capabilities in China.
"We see the investment in this new R&D facility as a win-win opportunity for both Novo Nordisk and China. Novo Nordisk recognises the strong science being performed in China and we want to bring innovation from Chinese scientists into our company to help tackle the growing burden of diabetes and other chronic diseases throughout the world," says Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen, chief science officer and executive vice president, Novo Nordisk.
The site in Beijing has already contributed significantly to the company's research and development portfolio in both diabetes and biopharmaceutical target disease areas. The new, expanded facility will enable even stronger contributions from the science team in China across the range of Novo Nordisk's protein technology, biology and pharmacology research activities.
Novo Nordisk's global research organisation, including its other sites in Denmark and the US, is set up to facilitate best practice-sharing and scientific sparring between employees at the different locations to ensure the most efficient and successful pipeline innovation and development.
About Novo Nordisk R&D in China
Novo Nordisk was the first international biopharmaceutical company to establish R&D in China in 1997. The previous Novo Nordisk R&D Centre China in Zhongguancun Life Science Park in Beijing was established in 2002, and has evolved into a centre of excellence for Novo Nordisk in molecular biology, protein chemistry and cell biology. Currently, the R&D organisation in China employs around 130 scientists and the new site, located on a 12,000m2 campus in the same science park, will accommodate a doubling of that number with further expansion potential.
About Novo Nordisk in China
China became a Novo Nordisk business region in 2011, and the company has had an affiliate in China since 1994. The headquarters and R&D Centre are located in Beijing, the production site is in Tianjin, and local offices are located in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenyang, Wuhan, Jinan, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Currently, Novo Nordisk employs around 3,000 people in China.
Headquartered in Denmark, Novo Nordisk is a global healthcare company with 89 years of innovation and leadership in diabetes care. The company also has leading positions within haemophilia care, growth hormone therapy and hormone replacement therapy.