Novo Nordisk boosts US sales force

Denmark's Novo Nordisk plans to expand its diabetes care field force in the USA, from around 1,200 to about 1,900 people. The expansion, which will take place during the first half of 2007, is designed to further strengthen the firm's position in the US insulin market and to increase its "share of voice" in the competitive market for diabetes products. "The US insulin market is a key growth market for Novo Nordisk and with its more than 40% share of this market (measured in volume) Novo Nordisk is today the clear market leader," the firm stated.

The field force expansion will support Novo Nordisk's complete portfolio of modern insulins (insulin analogs): Levemir, a long-acting insulin; NovoLog Mix 70/30 (NovoMix 30 outside the USA), a premixed formulation of rapid-acting and intermediate-acting insulin; and NovoLog (NovoRapid outside the USA), a rapid-acting insulin, says Novo Nordisk.

Dresdner Kleinwort analyst Tero Weckroth, quoted by the Wall Street Journal, said he thought the expansion plan was a "risky decision," which would add 500.0 million kroner ($88.0 million) to the firm's annual costs.