Novo Nordisk discontinues small molecules research

Novo Nordisk has this week announced it is to discontinue its research and development efforts involving small molecules and instead focus all its effort and resources on the development of therapeutic proteins.

The company previously narrowed its focus on protein-based pharmaceuticals in 2002. It will now divest its existing projects based on small molecules and discontinue its development of small molecules for oral treatment of diabetes.

Included in the list of small-molecule projects to be out-licensed is glucokinase activator currently in phase I, NN9101. This discontinuing of research is affect 180 employees, with half being offered different positions in the company and redundancies being negotiated for the remainder.

Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen, chief science officer and executive vice president of Novo Nordisk, said: “Our core competences lie within therapeutic proteins and it is within this area that we can make the greatest difference in terms of patient outcomes and company growth.”

He added that it was thus a “logical” development for the company to focus its research on this area.

In November 2006, Novo Nordisk announced plans to increase its diabetes care field force by approximately 700 employees to 1,900 in the US in order to improve its position in the insulin market place.