Novo Nordisk, a Denmark-based biopharmaceutical company and the first multinational company to open a research center in China in 1997, is reaffirming its long-term commitment to the country by investing an additional $100 million to expand its state-of-the-art science facilities in Beijing.

The new 12,000 square meter center will make it possible to increase the number of science employees from the current 130 to 200, with extra space available to accommodate additional future growth. With this expansion, Novo Nordisk also fulfills its key strategic objective to ensure the full range of protein research capabilities in China.

"We see the investment in this new R&D facility as a win-win opportunity for both Novo Nordisk and China,” said Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen, chief science officer and executive vice president, Novo Nordisk. “Novo Nordisk recognizes the strong science being performed in China and we want to bring innovation from Chinese scientists into our company to help tackle the growing burden of diabetes and other chronic diseases throughout the world.”

The site in Beijing has already contributed significantly to the R&D portfolio in both diabetes and biopharmaceutical target disease areas. The new, expanded facility will enable even stronger contributions from the science team in China across the range of Novo Nordisk's protein technology, biology and pharmacology research activities.

Novo Nordisk's global research organization, including its other sites in Denmark and the U.S., is set up to facilitate best practice-sharing and scientific sparring between employees at the different locations to ensure the most efficient and successful pipeline innovation and development.