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News and media

Here you can access our news and press materials. You can also find videos about the Foundation's history and links to other websites relating to the activities and research we support.

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Media library

Here you can access our reports, publications and videos. You can also download images from our photo library as well as our company logo and brand guide.

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Novo Nordisk Foundation

Science news

Sciencenews.dk provides news articles, videos and podcasts based on the world of science. Our goal is to create greater understanding of how research improves people’s lives and the sustainability of society. All articles and films are based on research or researchers that the Novo Nordisk Foundation has supported.

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Historical videos

The history of the Novo Nordisk Foundation dates back to 1922, when Nobel laureate August Krogh returned from the United States and Canada with permission to produce insulin in the Scandinavian countries. Here you can dive into videos and other material about the foundation's history.

Video

The Story of GLP-1. “A diabetes doctor’s dream”. Episode 1

Video

The Story of GLP-1. “If you don’t fix this”. Episode 2

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The Story of GLP-1.”A steak well done”, Episode 3

Video

The Story of GLP-1. “The next really good idea”. Episode 4

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Hans Christian Hagedorn – Captain for life – Episode 1 – “Setting sail”

Video

Hans Christian Hagedorn – Captain for life – Episode 2 – “Mutiny”

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Hans Christian Hagedorn – Captain for life – Episode 3 – “Keelhauled”

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Hans Christian Hagedorn – Captain for life – Episode 4 – “Stranded”

The Story of GLP-1. “A diabetes doctor’s dream”. Episode 1

Published
November 27th, 2022
Description

Some people eat too much food. Others eat unhealthy food, perhaps because they cannot afford healthy alternatives. Other people continue to eat a balanced diet but still struggle with their weight. How we eat and how our bodies react to food greatly affects our health. More than a third of all deaths today are caused by diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes.

But why does the body tell us that it wants more food – even though it has enough energy? And can you get the body to settle for what it needs by adjusting the body’s control systems? These questions have puzzled researchers for decades. And translating new knowledge into something to combat these diseases turned out to be extremely challenging.

In the 1990s, as the obesity pandemic spreads, even young people start to lose their ability to keep their body weight and blood glucose in balance. In turn, researchers and pharmaceutical companies set out to find new remedies.

Follow “A diabetes doctor’s dream”, Episode 1 of the Novo Nordisk Foundation’s 2022 Advent Calendar “The Story of GLP-1”.

The Story of GLP-1. “If you don’t fix this”. Episode 2

Published
December 4th, 2022
Description

In an office in Bagsværd near Copenhagen, young biotechnologist Lotte Bjerre Knudsen has been made project manager for a promising, but uncertain project of converting the hormone GLP-1 into a drug that can prove effective in combating the rapidly growing wave of diseases such as type 2 diabetes in the 1990s. If she fails, the project will fold. Follow “If you don’t fix this”, Episode 2 of the Novo Nordisk Foundation’s 2022 Advent Calendar “The Story of GLP-1”.

The Story of GLP-1.”A steak well done”, Episode 3

Published
December 11th, 2022
Description

In 1997, Novo Nordisk scientist Lotte Bjerre Knudsen managed to turn the short-lived GLP-1 hormone into a long-acting drug candidate. However, the initial test failed as the dose was set too low. And the company could not immediately start a new trial. Victory is still far from assured. Follow “A steak well done”, Episode 3 of the Novo Nordisk Foundation’s 2022 Advent Calendar “The Story of GLP-1”.

The Story of GLP-1. “The next really good idea”. Episode 4

Published
December 18th, 2022
Description

Thousands of years ago, it was good to have ‘thriftiness’ genes that enabled the body to preserve energy (calories) during cold winters. We are still equipped with these genes, but now they are really working against us by trying to preserve a body weight ‘setpoint’ that is too high in today’s environment. This has caused obesity to spread epidemically throughout the world, driving cardio-metabolic disease (type 2 diabetes and cardio-vascular disease) to become the #1 killer globally. The race for an effective way to treat these diseases started in the 1990’s with some important results for the GLP-1 hormone when given to animals and humans.
Follow “The next really good idea”, the last episode of the Novo Nordisk Foundation’s 2022 Advent Calendar “The Story of GLP-1”.”

Hans Christian Hagedorn – Captain for life – Episode 1 – “Setting sail”

Published
November 28th, 2021

Hans Christian Hagedorn – Captain for life – Episode 2 – “Mutiny”

Published
December 5th, 2021

Hans Christian Hagedorn – Captain for life – Episode 3 – “Keelhauled”

Published
December 12th, 2021

Hans Christian Hagedorn – Captain for life – Episode 4 – “Stranded”

Published
December 17th, 2021