Novozymes

Novonesis A/S
Company typeAktieselskab
Nasdaq Copenhagen: NZYM B
IndustryBiotechnology
Founded2000; 24 years ago (2000)
HeadquartersBagsværd, Denmark
Key people
ProductsEnzymes, microorganisms, biopharmaceutical ingredients
RevenueIncrease 17.5 billion kr. (2022)[1]
Increase 4.56 billion kr. (2022)[1]
Increase 3.69 billion kr. (2022)[1]
Total assetsIncrease 27.9 billion kr. (2022)[1]
Total equityIncrease 14.2 billion kr. (2022)[1]
Number of employees
6,781 (2022)[1]
ParentNovo Holdings A/S
Websitenovozymes.com

Novozymes A/S was a global biotechnology company headquartered in Bagsværd, outside of Copenhagen, Denmark. The company's focus was the research, development and production of industrial enzymes, microorganisms, and biopharmaceutical ingredients. The company merged with Chr. Hansen to form Novonesis in January 2024.

Prior to the merger, the company had operations around the world, including in China, India, Brazil, Argentina, United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada.[2] Class B shares of its stock were listed on the NASDAQ OMX Nordic exchange.[3]

On 12 December 2023, it was announced that Novozymes and Danish bioscience company Chr. Hansen had obtained regulatory approval for a merger,[4] and on the following day, the name of the combined company was revealed as Novonesis.[5]

History

In 1925, the brothers Harald and Thorvald Pedersen founded Novo Terapeutisk Laboratorium and Nordisk Insulinlaboratorium with the aim to produce insulin. In 1941 the company's predecessor launched its first enzyme, trypsin, extracted from the pancreas of animals and used to soften leather, and was the first to produce enzymes by fermentation using bacteria in the 1950s.[6][7] In the late 1980s Novozymes presented the world's first fat-splitting enzyme for detergents manufactured with genetically engineered microorganisms, called Lipolase.[8]

The current Novozymes was founded in 2000 as a spinout from pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk.[6]

In the 2000s Novozymes expanded through the acquisition of several companies focusing on business outside the core enzyme business. Amongst them were the Brazilian bio agricultural company Turfal and German pharmaceutical, chemical and life science company EMD/Merck Crop BioScience Inc.[9] These acquisitions made Novozymes a leader in sustainable solutions for the agricultural biological industry.[10]

In January 2016, the company spun out its biopharmaceutical operations into Albumedix.[11]

In June 2020, the business announced it would acquire Ireland-based PrecisionBiotics for $90 million.[12] In December of the same year Novozymes announced it would acquire Microbiome Labs in a $125 million deal.[13]

Ownership

The Novozymes class A share capital is held by Novo Holdings A/S, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Novo Nordisk Foundation. In addition, Novo A/S holds 5,826,280 B shares, which overall gives Novo A/S 25.5% of the total share capital and 70.1% of the votes.[3][2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "The Novozymes Report 2022" (PDF). Novozymes. 1 January 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  2. ^ a b "The Novozymes Report 2014". Novozymes. 20 January 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  3. ^ a b NASDAQ OMX Nordic (5 April 2004). "NASDAQ OMX Nordic Novozymes Information". NASDAQ OMX Nordic. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  4. ^ "Commission clears Novozymes and Chr. Hansen merger, subject to conditions". 12 December 2023.
  5. ^ "Novozymes and Chr. Hansen announce name of future combined company; Novonesis". 13 December 2023.
  6. ^ a b Novozymes Novozymes' history Archived 2015-03-31 at the Wayback Machine Page accessed August 31, 2014
  7. ^ Parameswaran, B et al (2013) http://nopr.niscair.res.in/bitstream/123456789/17451/1/JSIR%2072(5)%20271-286.pdf Industrial Enzymes - Present Status & Future Perspectives for India Journal of scientific and industrial research 72:271-286.
  8. ^ Susan Watts for the New Scientist, Issue 1671. 01 July 1989. Engineered enzyme washes whiter than white
  9. ^ Gelu Sulugiuc for Bloomberg News. 20 Dex, 2010 Novozymes Buys Merck Crop Business for $275 Million
  10. ^ Frank Vinluan for Xconomy 6 August 2014 Novozymes' BioAg R&D Turns to Microbials to Boost Crop Yields
  11. ^ "Novozymes Spins Out Albumedix - GEN". GEN. 19 January 2016.
  12. ^ "Novozymes buys Irish probiotic maker PrecisionBiotics". Reuters. 25 June 2020. Archived from the original on June 25, 2020.
  13. ^ "Novozymes to buy U.S. Probiotics maker Microbiome Labs". Reuters. 18 December 2020. Archived from the original on December 20, 2020.