Novo Nordisk to build $4.1 billion North Carolina facility to boost output of Wegovy, Ozempic

Novo Nordisk on Monday said it will spend $4.1 billion to build a new manufacturing plant in Clayton, North Carolina, in a bid to boost the supply of its blockbuster weight loss drug Wegovy, diabetes treatment Ozempic and other injectable therapies. 

Demand for Wegovy and Ozempic has outstripped supply over the last year, spurring intermittent shortages in the U.S. and forcing the Danish drugmaker to invest heavily to increase its manufacturing footprint. The company said it plans to invest $6.8 billion in production this year, up from roughly $4 billion last year. 

The new manufacturing facility will be responsible for filling and packaging syringes and injection pens for the drugs, according to a company release. 

"This investment really gives us the opportunity to serve more patients," Doug Langa, Novo Nordisk's head of North American operations, said in an interview. "Importantly, I think the other key message here is it's further investment in the U.S., so I think we're very proud of that."

Construction of the 1.4 million-square-foot facility has begun and is expected to be completed between 2027 and 2029, Novo Nordisk said. The company said 1,000 workers will staff the site, adding to the 2,500 employees already working at its three existing manufacturing plants in North Carolina. 

That includes two sites that are already operational in Clayton — one responsible for fill and finish work and another dedicated to producing the active ingredient in the company's diabetes pill Rybelsus. The company also has a site in Durham, North Carolina, responsible for manufacturing and packaging oral drugs and another facility in West Lebanon, New Hampshire.

Twelve other production sites are located in Denmark, France, China, Japan,