Novo Nordisk and Mayo Clinic sign partnership agreement on diabetes disease state management.

BAGSVAERD, Denmark & ROCHESTER, Minn, USA--(HealthWire)-- June 28, 1996--Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) and the Mayo Clinic of the United States have entered into a multi-year collaboration to improve the management of diabetes worldwide.

The companies will pursue clinical projects to help improve patient management of diabetes, the development of a diabetes research center and global continuing medical education programs (CME).

The cornerstone of the agreement between Novo Nordisk and the Mayo Clinic is the refinement and eventual distribution of an electronic means of recording and managing medical data for people with diabetes. Identified as Diabetes Electronic Medical Records, the software will provide physicians and other health care professionals with an innovative tool for monitoring diabetes treatment in their patients, as well as easy access to treatment guidelines and new concepts, and the opportunity to evaluate worldwide diabetes trends.

Lars Rebien Sorensen, corporate executive vice president for Health Care Business at Novo Nordisk, said, "Information technology is the way of the future and we are honored to be working with the Mayo Clinic to help maximize the benefits of the electronic data base, as well as to help improve opportunities for information access through a variety of educational opportunities for health care professionals."

Dr. Richard M. Weinshilboum, vice president of the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, added, "We're confident that this collaboration could eventually result in improved management of diabetes for patients worldwide. Physicians will benefit from clinical research and easier access to best practice management guidelines, and patients will benefit from improved care and education."

In addition to the cooperative work on Diabetes Electronic Medical Records, two clinical fellowships at the Mayo Clinic will be established through Novo Nordisk funding. The focus of the fellowships will be research into the care and treatment of diabetes in an effort to increase medical knowledge about the disease and awareness of treatment guidelines.

Another key component of the collaboration between Novo Nordisk and Mayo Clinic is the initiation of continuing medical education programs (CME). Novo Nordisk funding will permit medical associations in various locations around the world to invite teams of Mayo Clinic experts to discuss diabetes treatment with their health care professionals. Sorensen said, "We already have experienced success with this project. In conjunction with the Mayo Clinic, last year we conducted a pilot CME program in India. The response was very favorable, and we look forward to reaching the far corners of the world with important information about diabetes care."

Novo Nordisk A/S is the world leader in insulin and diabetes care and also manufactures and markets a variety of other pharmaceutical products. Furthermore the company is the world's largest producer of industrial enzymes. Headquartered in Denmark, Novo Nordisk employs approximately 13,000 people in 54 countries and markets its products in 130 countries. Its B shares are listed on the stock exchanges in Copenhagen, London, Basel, Zurich and Geneva. Its ADSs are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "NVO".

Mayo is a private group practice of medicine dedicated to providing diagnosis and treatment of patient illnesses through a systematic focus on individual patient needs. Mayo provides comprehensive hospital and outpatient services at each of its major locations -- Rochester, Minn,; Jacksonville, Fla.; and Scottsdale, Ariz. At each site, patient care is closely integrated with advanced medical education and research programs. Graduates of Mayo's medical and health-related sciences schools practice throughout the U.S. and the world. Mayo's researchers continually search for answers to illness and disease to help people live healthier, more productive lives.

CONTACT: Novo Nordisk A/S

Corporate Communications:

Susan Jackson, 212/867-0123

or

Investor Relations:

Peter Baekgaard, 212/867-0123

or

Mayo Clinic

John LaForgia, 507/284-2073