Novo Nordisk announced today that it via the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare has received approval of its liquid growth hormone, Norditropin® SimpleXx(TM) (in Japan Norditropin® S-chu).
With Norditropin® SimpleXx(TM) there is no need for dissolution of the product, which makes it more convenient for patients to administer. Furthermore, the product will be launched with a dedicated pen system called NordiPen(TM).
"Japan is the most important single Novo Nordisk market for human growth hormone and the current approval positions Novo Nordisk with the best product," says Lars Rebien Sørensen, corporate executive vice president, Novo Nordisk Health Care.
Launch of Norditropin® SimpleXx(TM) will await completion of official price negotiations which may take approximately three months.
The approval will not alter Novo Nordisk's financial expectations for 2000.
Novo Nordisk A/S is the world leader in insulin and diabetes care and also manufactures and markets a variety of other pharmaceutical products. Furthermore the company is the world's largest producer of industrial enzymes. Headquartered in Denmark, Novo Nordisk employs approximately 15,200 people in 68 countries and markets its products in 179 countries. Its B shares are listed on the stock exchanges in Copenhagen, London and Zurich. Its ADSs are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "NVO". A demerger of Novo Nordisk with the intention to spin off the Enzyme Business into a separately listed company is expected to take place around the turn of the year 2000/2001. For further company information, visit Novo Nordisk on the World Wide Web at www.novo.dk.
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