By Dominic Chopping
Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO) is to discontinue its activities within
inflammatory disorders after deciding to increase efforts within
diabetes prevention and treatment, obesity and diabetes
complications, it said Tuesday.
It said 400 jobs will be directly impacted, but it expects to
offer over half of them new positions within the company.
The decision follows a strategic review and comes after the
company recently announced the discontinuation of its rheumatoid
arthritis treatment anti-IL-20.
Chief science officer Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen said "the
discontinuation of anti-IL-20 delays our earliest possible entrance
into the market for anti-inflammatory therapeutics to the late
2020s...we have therefore decided to further increase our R&D
efforts within diabetes which is our main business area."
The company expects to book a DKK700 million charge from
impairments and other exit costs.
-Write to Dominic Chopping at dominic.chopping@wsj.com; Twitter:
@WSJNordics
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