15. Novo Nordisk  $10.4B ▲26.4%

Global revenue: $16.8B (16th); up 17.0%
Top brands: NovoLog FlexPen ($1.9B); NovoLog ($1.6B); Victoza 3-Pak ($1.4B); Levemir FlexPen ($1.3B)
Promotional spend: $564M (13th); 5.4% of rev.
R&D spend: $2.0B (15th); down 9.1%; 11.9% of rev.
Planned launches: Tresiba (diab.); IDegLira (diab.); Saxenda (obesity); semaglutide (diab.)
Patent expirations: Norditropin (2015); Levemir (2017); NovoLog (2017)

Novo has again changed its schedule for resubmitting Tresiba to the FDA, now saying it could happen as early as this spring. If approved, the long-acting insulin, currently undergoing additional study for possible cardiovascular side effects, would compete against Sanofi’s Toujeo, approved in February. Novo plans to put more R&D muscle behind its diabetes franchise in the coming months, having exited the inflammation market last year when its anti-IL-20 rheumatoid arthritis drug failed a Phase-II trial. It also has high hopes for new weight-loss drug Saxenda. 

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