Novo Nordisk says it is investing close to 1 billion Danish kroner, about 134 million euros, in a new factory in its home country.

The facility, in Kalundborg, will be used for the production of biopharmaceuticals such as the haemophilia drug NovoSeven (recombinant Factor VIIa), the growth hormone Norditropin and the glucagon product GlucaGen. The plant is expected to create 120–150 new jobs over the next three years.

Per Valstorp, head of product supply at Novo, said the firm needs to expand capacity to meet future demand for existing drugs, "but also to be ready to produce future haemophilia products that are in the pipeline”. He added that the company already has a similar site in Gentofte, and has "built up great expertise in the production of biopharmaceuticals in Denmark".

He concluded by saying that "we were therefore never in doubt that this new factory should be placed in Denmark”. The packaging facility is expected to be operational in 2013, while the other units, which require a prolonged running-in period, are expected to be up and running in 2015.