Demand for metabolic disorder drugs from Novo Nordisk, a global healthcare company, has far surpassed the supply, resulting in product shortages. In response to this, the company is planning a significant expansion of an existing production site. A recent investment announcement from Novo Nordisk indicates a sum of more than 16 billion Danish Kroner (approximately €2.1 billion or $2.3 billion) set to be used for expanding a French facility located in Chartres, effectively more than doubling its size.
This Chartres production site, which has been active since 1961, is currently operating with nearly 1,600 workers. The workforce here is responsible for manufacturing Novo Nordisk’s diabetes-focused products, including insulin, and also producing medications for hemophilia and growth disorders.
Through this expansion, Novo Nordisk aims to increase the production of its metabolic disease drugs, specifically those targeting the GLP-1 receptor. One of these, Ozempic, is a GLP-1 agonist approved for managing type 2 diabetes and is Novo Nordisk’s top seller, amounting to 65.6 billion Danish Kroner (approximately $9.4 billion) in sales in 2023 through to the third quarter.
In a competitive market, Novo Nordisk’s main competitors include Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro and Zepbound, the former of which received FDA approval for chronic weight management earlier this month. Eli Lilly already announced its plan to construct a new manufacturing site in Germany in response to regulations and to increase production.
Currently, Novo Nordisk has started construction at its France production site, with completion dates estimated to be between 2026 and 2028. The company identifies the Denmark and France manufacturing sites as two of its five strategic production facilities, with the remaining three located in the U.S., Brazil, and China.
Regarding this substantial investment, Lone Charlotte Larsen, Corporate Vice President of Novo Nordisk Production in Chartres, highlighted the importance of the French manufacturing site as a strategic cornerstone to the growth of the company. The aim of this expansion is to efficiently increase the company’s capacity by leveraging existing infrastructure and skills.