Novo Nordisk is a global Danish pharmaceutical company founded in 1923, with origins tied to Nobel laureate August Krogh and his wife Marie, one of Denmark's first female medical graduates who had diabetes. Inspired by the discovery of insulin in 1921, they initiated the production of insulin in Denmark, establishing Nordisk Insulinlaboratorium to manufacture this life-saving treatment. In 1925, the Pedersen brothers founded a competing company, Novo Terapeutisk Laboratorium. The two companies merged in 1989 to form Novo Nordisk A/S, headquartered in Bagsværd, Copenhagen[1][2][5]. Novo Nordisk is a leader in diabetes care, being the world's largest producer of insulin. Beyond insulin, it has developed treatments for hormone replacement therapy, hemophilia, and obesity. The company has played a pioneering role in protein-based medicines for chronic diseases, leveraging innovations such as semaglutide, a synthetic peptide used in drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy that control blood sugar and promote weight loss[1][5][9]. The company has a strong philanthropic tradition, with profits supporting scientific and humanitarian research through the Novo Nordisk Foundation, which also holds a controlling interest in the company. Novo Nordisk's growth included significant expansions in North America starting in the 1980s and evolution of related engineering and IT subsidiaries[4][2]. Recently, Novo Nordisk has gained global prominence due to its effective weight-loss drugs that have transformed it into a cultural and economic phenomenon. Despite challenges such as factory fires and regulatory disputes, the company continues to advance public health initiatives, including partnerships with organizations like UNICEF to address childhood obesity[9]. Today, Novo Nordisk remains a major player in pharmaceutical innovation and chronic disease management worldwide.