Novo Nordisk shareholders adopt new resolutions

Healthcare firm Novo Nordisk confirmed that stockholders will receive increased share dividends for 2006.

Following the Danish company’s annual general meeting (AGM), gathered shareholders formally adopted the resolution to distribute payouts of DKK 7.00 (64 pence) per share, which represents an increase of 17 per cent from 2005.

The recent AGM saw attendees vote to approve the remuneration package for the board of directors, in addition to the re-election of current board members and PricewaterhouseCoopers as the enterprise’s auditor.

Novo Nordisk stated that shareholders also agreed “to allow the company to acquire own shares of up to ten per cent of the share capital and at the price quoted at the time of the purchase with a deviation of up to ten per cent”.

A board meeting was staged following the AGM, at which members organised three new appointments to the audit committee including Kurt Anker Nielsen to the position of chairman.

Listed on New York, London and Copenhagen stock exchanges, Novo Nordisk claims to have one of the broadest portfolios of diabetes therapies including insulin injection systems.

The company’s Canadian division recently donated $100,000 (51,700 pounds) to a leading diabetes association in the country to finance the redevelopment of a gallery which is devoted to promoting the history of insulin.