Semaglutide Generates $1 Billion in Nine Months as Novo Nordisk Reports 13% Revenue Growth in China
Novo Nordisk
Insulin Developer and Manufacturer
Text | Baihuawen
On November 1, Novo Nordisk announced its financial results for the first three quarters of 2019, with sales revenue reaching DKK 89.4 billion, representing a 5% year-on-year growth at constant exchange rates (CER). Among these, international business sales revenue increased by 11%, North American region sales revenue decreased by 1%, and China region sales revenue grew by 13%.
In the first three quarters of 2019, driven by the strong growth of GLP-1 products, Novo Nordisk’s sales revenue in the diabetes care segment increased by 4% to DKK 71.395 billion, partially offsetting the impact of declining insulin sales volumes. Additionally, Novo Nordisk’s global market share in diabetes care rose from 27.6% to 28.4%; its market share in insulin increased to 46.5%; and its market share in GLP-1 therapies grew to 46.8%.
In terms of specific products, liraglutide (Victoza) recorded sales of DKK 16.507 billion (USD 2.468 billion) in the first three quarters, representing an 11% year-on-year decrease. Sales of semaglutide (Ozempic) reached DKK 6.872 billion (USD 1.027 billion), and it has currently been approved in 24 countries.
Notably, due to the promising clinical results of oral semaglutide and its FDA approval in September 2019, with approvals in the European Union and Japan also expected in 2020, Novo Nordisk decided to terminate the development of its investigational oral GLP-1 analogue OG2023.
*Disclaimer: This article was written by an author contributing to Sina Medical News. The views expressed are solely those of the author and do not represent the position of Sina Medical News.
