Novo Nordisk begins construction on largest quality control facility in Denmark

Novo Nordisk announced this week it has begun construction on a $400 million, 53,000-square-meter quality control laboratory in Denmark, marking its largest investment in advanced quality control to date.

The facility will consolidate existing operations into a single site, designed to meet current and future Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards. The project, which emphasizes sustainability and digital innovation, is expected to be completed by 2027.

The new laboratory will serve as a central hub for Novo Nordisk’s quality control processes, leveraging automation and digitalization to enhance efficiency and compliance.

Erik Lorin Rasmussen, senior vice president of product supply, aseptic manufacturing, emphasized the facility’s significance in meeting both regulatory requirements and patient needs. “As we expand our manufacturing capacity and anticipate new products to meet growing global demand, this facility will play an important role in ensuring the quality of our products,” Rasmussen said in a statement.

Sustainability is a core element of the construction, with materials such as CO2-reduced concrete and bricks being incorporated to minimize the environmental footprint. The facility is also designed to accommodate future capacity expansions.

Novo Nordisk operates strategic production sites globally, including locations in Denmark, the U.S., France, Brazil, and China. These facilities produce nearly half of the world’s insulin as well as treatments for diabetes, obesity, hemophilia, and growth disorders.

The investment in Denmark is part of a broader expansion of Novo Nordisk’s manufacturing footprint. The company recently entered into an agreement to purchase a manufacturing facility in Bohumil, Czech Republic, from Novavax for $200 million. 

The Bohumil facility, spanning 150,000 square feet, includes recombinant protein manufacturing capabilities, support buildings, infrastructure, and an existing workforce. Novavax plans to use proceeds from the sale to focus on its vaccine pipeline and core technologies, while Novo Nordisk bolsters its capacity to meet growing demand for biopharmaceuticals.