Novo Nordisk just announced plans to expand its research and development (R&D) presence in the greater Boston metro area, creating one of its largest R&D hubs outside of Denmark. This new hub, which will leverage the company’s existing presence in Lexington, Cambridge and Watertown, Massachusetts, will be home to the majority of Novo Nordisk’s US-based research and development activities.
Novo Nordisk anticipates adding more than 200 new jobs in the Boston area in 2023. Of these new positions, more than 150 will be lab-based and clinical development personnel in Lexington and Watertown and involved in data science, biology or chemistry research, and ribonucleic acid interference (RNAi) research and clinical development.
“The Boston area is the leading center of biopharmaceutical innovation in the US. With more than 1,000 life science companies, world-renowned institutions at the forefront of scientific discovery, and leading academic institutions, the life sciences community in greater Boston has produced some of the world’s most innovative ideas in medicine,” said Marcus Schindler, PhD, executive vice president for Research & Early Development and chief scientific officer of Novo Nordisk. “With today’s announcement, we are committing to further expansion and to having a major life sciences presence in the Boston area, to support pipeline expansion into new modalities, with the ultimate goal of delivering new innovative medicines to people living with chronic diseases.”
In 2022, Novo Nordisk began to convert a 100,000 square foot space, which includes a state-of-the art new lab, adjacent to its existing facilities in Lexington. This facility will house its RNAi research and development and oral formulation units. More than 80,000 square feet of existing lab and office space will be available for use by R&D groups co-locating in Lexington.
With the establishment of greater Boston as Novo Nordisk’s principal R&D location in the US, the company will transfer its lab-based discovery activities from Seattle to other locations in the global R&D network and close the R&D facility in Indianapolis. This is expected to result in the elimination of approximately 20 positions in Indianapolis and approximately 80 positions in Seattle. Novo Nordisk will be extending to affected employees the opportunity to pursue open positions at other locations. Novo Nordisk will continue to have a presence in Seattle, with a focus on digital therapy, data science and artificial intelligence. The R&D site dedicated to manufacturing of stem cells and stem cell-based therapies will continue to be based in Fremont, California.
Novo Nordisk is a leading global healthcare company, founded in 1923 and headquartered in Denmark. Our purpose is to drive change to defeat diabetes and other serious chronic diseases such as obesity and rare blood and endocrine disorders. We do so by pioneering scientific breakthroughs, expanding access to our medicines, and working to prevent and ultimately cure disease. Novo Nordisk employs about 54,400 people in 80 countries and markets its products in around 170 countries.
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