Novo Nordisk SWOT & PESTLE Analysis
COMPANY PROFILE -Novo Nordisk
Business Sector :Pharmaceutical and Healthcare
Operating Geography :Denmark, Europe, Global
About Novo Nordisk :
Novo Nordisk is a Danish pharmaceutical multinational company headquartered in Bagsværd, Denmark. It was created in 1989 by the merger of two competitor companies Nordisk Insulinlaboratorium and Novo Terapeutisk Laboratorium; founded in 1923 and 1925 respectively. Novo Nordisk is a global leader in diabetes care, haemophilia and growth hormone and its products are marketed in more than 190 countries. It employs approximately 42,700 people in 79 countries as of 2018.Novo Nordisk Revenue :
DKK 111,696 million – FY ended 31st December 2017 (y-o-y growth of -0.007%)
DKK 111,780 million – FY ended 31st December 2016
Ownership / Major shareholders :
Novo Holdings A/S - 76.2% of votes and 28.5% of capital (as of April 2018)Competitive Analysis of Novo Nordisk
1. Global leader in diabetes care 2. Evolving product portfolio 3. Focus on innovation through R&D 4. Capital expenditure to drive growth | 1. Sales decline in biopharmaceutical segment 2. Legal actions against the company |
1. Increasing prevalence of diabetes 2. Entry into the unexplored therapy areas | 1. Launch of generics eating into market share 2. Price regulations, pressures and reimbursement restrictions by payers 3. Losing out on acquisitions opportunities to competitors |
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Detailed SWOT Analysis of Novo Nordisk
Strength
1. Global leader in diabetes care: Novo Nordisk created a blue ocean strategy by shifting its customer focus from doctors to the end users – the patients. To address the needs of the patients and prevent them from the uncomfortable mode of insulin administration, Novo Nordisk launched the first user friendly insulin delivery product – the Novo Pen. This product empowered the patients to self-administer insulin without having to deal with the discomfort of syringes. Following this, it launched Novolet (a pen device for insulin self-injection) to preserve its dominance in the diabetes care segment. Even today, Novo Nordisk is the world leader in diabetes care products. Diabetes care contributes to 81% of sales growth of the company. Novo Nordisk diabetes care products are used by 27.7 million people around the globe. A solid performance of drugs Tresiba, Victoza, Saxenda and NovoRapid in 2017 has kept the company growing. The company’s adherence to the Triple Bottom Line principle of balancing financial, social and environmental considerations helps in serving the interest of all its stakeholders.
2. Evolving product portfolio: Novo Nordisk is investigating the potential treatment for NASH, a progressed stage of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease which does not have approved treatment currently. Obesity is not recognized as a ‘disease’ which requires treatment and hence, there have not been medical advances in the area. To overcome this, Novo Nordisk has launched products to manage obesity in patients with weight related health problems and obesity. E.g. Saxenda, sales of Saxenda increased by 62% in Danish Kroner, in 2017. Novo Nordisk has a lot of drugs in the pipeline (phase 1, phase 2 and Phase 3 clinical trials) in the therapy areas of diabetes, obesity, haemophilia A and growth disorders which are promising and will provide leverage to the company when launched.
3. Focus on innovation through R&D: In 2017, Novo Nordisk launched Victoza, an injectable prescription medicine drug that helps people with type-2 diabetes to lower blood sugar and obesity, and also reduces the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular risk. Novo Nordisk is set to enter a new category of diabetes therapy in 2020: GLP-1 analogue Semaglutide, which is a once-a-day oral diabetes therapy formulation. This therapy formulation will address the issues of cardiovascular diseases and obesity in addition to controlling diabetes. The PIONEER-2 clinical trial study of this therapy formulation has shown results better than the existing drugs in the market (of Eli Lilly and Boehringer Ingelheim). The phase 3a studies proved that the drug reduced blood sugar levels and weight better than Merck’s diabetes bestseller Januvia. This drug is expected to be a blockbuster and enhance Novo Nordisk’s position further in the diabetes care market. Novo Nordisk is also researching the potential use of stem cell therapy in management of diabetes and it has moved several steps closer in this avenue.
4. Capital expenditure to drive growth: In 2018, capital expenditure is expected to be around DKK 9.5 billion. Investments have been made in new production facility for diabetes Active pharmaceutical ingredients in USA, new diabetes care filling facility and expansion of manufacturing capacity for biopharmaceuticals in Denmark. There is a plan to increase the sales and distribution costs to support commercialisation for launch of Ozempic.
Weakness
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Opportunity
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Threat
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Major Competitors :
Major Brands :
- Levemir
- NovoLog
- Novolin R
- NovoSeven
- NovoEight
- Victoza
Recent Acquisition / Mergers / Alliance / Joint Ventures / Divestitures :
Open Table PreviewMacrilen™ (brand) | Biopharm | 2018 | Acquisition | Novo Nordisk acquisition of Macrilen™ license in the United States and Canada will help in boosting its biopharm business. |
Ziylo Ltd | Glucose binding molecule platform | 2018 | The acquisition will help in Novo Nordisk's goal to develop glucose responsive insulins | The deal was valued at 149.6 million euros. It offered significant opportunities to exploit future growth both in supply chain solutions and security solutions. |
Calibrium | Diabetes R&D | 2015 | Acquisition | The acquisition will help in Novo Nordisk's in expanding and strengthening its diabetes portfolio |
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References used in Novo Nordisk Analysis Report
1. Novo Nordisk 2017 Annual report https://www.novonordisk.com/annual-report.html
2. Novo Nordisk's oral diabetes drug beats Jardiance in study https://www.reuters.com/article/us-novo-nordisk-diabetes/novo-nordisks-oral-diabetes-drug-beats-jardiance-in-study-idUSKCN1IU28V
3. Novo Nordisk reaches whistleblower settlement in 'white-coat' sales scheme lawsuit https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/novo-nordisk-reaches-settlement-white-coat-sales-scheme-lawsuit
4. Novo Nordisk backs up M&A pledge by appointing deal-minded board chair https://www.fiercepharma.com/corporate/novo-nordisk-backs-up-m-a-pledge-by-appointing-deal-minded-board-chair
5. Novartis in $175 million gender bias settlement https://www.reuters.com/article/us-novartis-settlement-idUSTRE66D57Z20100714
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Novo Nordisk SWOT and PESTLE analysis has been conducted by Sneha Samant and reviewed by senior analysts from Barakaat Consulting.
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