Novo Nordisk's 'China Co-Creation 2.0' Delivers One-Year Progress Report at CIIE

SHANGHAI, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- During the 4th China International Import Expo, Novo Nordisk presented the achievements of its "China Co-creation" initiative after more than a year of operation, and shared details on the latest expansion of its innovation-sharing platform.

Novo Nordisk’s global synchronized R&D project, “China Co-innovation,” was launched in the first half of 2020 and entered Phase 2.0 during last year’s China International Import Expo (CIIE). According to Zhang Kezhou, Corporate Vice President of Pharmaceuticals and Quality at Novo Nordisk Greater China, over the past year, Novo Nordisk has secured marketing approvals in China for three blockbuster products—Ozempic®, NovoRapid®, and Xultophy®—accelerating the introduction of innovative therapies. In the realm of global synchronized R&D, Novo Nordisk’s first product developed concurrently in China and worldwide, icodec insulin (a once-weekly insulin injection), has initiated Phase III clinical trials in China. Meanwhile, multiple Clinical Trial Applications (CTAs) across several new therapeutic areas, including obesity, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), Alzheimer’s disease, and other chronic conditions, have also been approved, with numerous clinical trials currently being prepared or actively underway. “The China Co-innovation project has seen comprehensive success, delivering an outstanding track record.”

The Novo Nordisk "China Co-Creation" project also leverages INNOVO, its open innovation platform established in 2019, to partner with local Chinese innovators, drive R&D innovation, and accelerate the translation of research outcomes. The recent expansion has introduced two new sharing initiatives in this regard—the "Free Compound Sharing Program," which provides researchers with high-quality, well-characterized compounds free of charge, and the "Open In Vitro Biology Platform," which opens its in vitro experimental facilities to external researchers to explore novel disease mechanisms. These two innovative initiatives aim to open resources and platforms to Chinese medical researchers, empowering them to discover new mechanisms of action and deepen their understanding of disease biology, ultimately accelerating breakthroughs in future healthcare solutions.

Han Dan, President of the Novo Nordisk China Research Center, stated: "The two initiatives have been warmly welcomed by researchers. Since the initial opening of the in vitro fibrosis model, over 10 projects have been launched and more than 80 compound screenings have been conducted to date. The test reports for the first batch of over 20 compounds have been completed and shared with our collaborating partners. We hope to truly support frontline researchers and contribute to building a biopharmaceutical innovation ecosystem."

“As a long-standing participant in the CIIE for four consecutive years, the continuous upgrading and expansion of the ‘Co-innovate China’ initiative underscores Novo Nordisk’s firm confidence in the Chinese market and its unwavering commitment to Chinese patients,” said Zhou Xiaping, Senior Vice President and President of Greater China at Novo Nordisk. “Novo Nordisk aspires to be a co-builder in the innovation ecosystem of China’s biopharmaceutical industry, continue to deepen its footprint across China’s entire value chain, facilitate the development of China’s pharmaceutical innovation ecosystem, and ultimately benefit patients.”