Novo Nordisk's Sales Surge 25% to DKK 133.4B in H1 2024, Driven by Strong Growth and Favorable Rates

Financial report for the period 1 January 2024 to 30 June 2024

• Operating profit increased by 18% in Danish kroner and by 19% at constant exchange rates (CER) to DKK 57.8 billion. Operating profit is impacted by the impairment loss related to ocedurenone of DKK 5.7 billion.

• Sales in North America Operations increased by 36% in Danish kroner (36% at CER). Sales growth in the US was positively impacted by gross-to-net sales adjustments related to prior years. Sales in International Operations increased by 9% in Danish kroner (11% at CER).
• Sales within Diabetes and Obesity care increased by 26% in Danish kroner to DKK 125.0 billion (27% at CER), mainly driven by GLP-1 diabetes sales growth of 32% in Danish kroner (32% at CER) and Obesity care growing by 37% in Danish kroner to DKK 24.9 billion (37% at CER). Rare disease sales decreased by 4% measured in Danish kroner (3% at CER).
• Within R&D, Novo Nordisk successfully completed the phase 3 FRONTIER 2 trial with Mim8, where once-weekly and once-monthly Mim8 demonstrated superior reduction of treated bleeding episodes compared to on-demand and prior prophylaxis treatment in people with haemophilia A. In June 2024, Novo Nordisk announced that the ocedurenone CLARION-CKD phase 3 trial was stopped, as ocedurenone failed to meet the primary endpoint.
• Also within R&D, Novo Nordisk received a Complete Response Letter from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for insulin icodec in July. In Obesity care, Novo Nordisk received a positive CHMP opinion, based on the SELECT trial, for an update of the Wegovy^® label to reflect risk reduction of major adverse cardiovascular events in the EU.
• For the 2024 outlook, sales growth is now expected to be 22-28% at CER, and operating profit growth is now expected to be 20-28% at CER. Growth reported in Danish kroner is now expected to be 1 percentage point lower than at CER growth for both sales and operating profit.

Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen, president and CEO: "We are pleased with the sales growth in the first half of 2024, which has enabled us to raise the outlook for the full year. The growth is driven by the increased demand for our GLP-1-based diabetes and obesity treatments, and we continue to reach more patients with our innovative treatments. Within R&D, we are very pleased with the first phase 3 trial results with Mim8 and its potential for people living with haemophilia A, and with the recent recommendation for a label extension for cardiovascular risk reduction for Wegovy^® in the EU."

Source: Novo Nordisk