Over the past ten years, the treatment of Danish diabetes patients has advanced considerably thanks to improved treatment principles and an increased political focus on this patient group. Nonetheless, Danish diabetics still have a 50% higher risk of dying prematurely than Danes who do not have diabetes. Now, Aarhus University is joining forces with Novo Nordisk A/S to change these statistics. The new partnership will work to increase our knowledge about treatment of the long-term complications which still affect many diabetics.

Focus on the patient

"Diabetes is a prevalent disease in the Western world and now also in third world countries. Cross-sectoral collaboration involving both the university and the medical industry allows us to pool our competencies and markedly improves our potential for achieving new results in the treatment of blindness, kidney failure, blood clots and amputations. This can make a difference to a very large group of diabetes patients, not least children and adolescents with diabetes," says Professor Allan Flyvbjerg, dean of the Faculty of Health at Aarhus University. Flyvbjerg is one of the principal organisers of the new partnership.

"We expect that the combination of Novo Nordisk's experience in the field of diabetes treatment and Aarhus University's expertise on long-term complications will allow us to gain a better understanding of the long-term complications of diabetes. An understanding which has the potential to pave the way for improved treatment options for patients," explains Novo Nordisk Senior Vice President Peter Kurtzhals.

Initiative in line with government growth plan

In June, the Danish government released its "Growth Plan for Healthcare and Welfare Solutions", which presented a range of recommendations on how the Danish community of researchers, hospitals and private stakeholders can join forces to leverage Denmark's potential for growth, innovation and employment. Two of the recommendations in the growth plan are "A strengthened framework for public-private cooperation on clinical research" and "Strengthened cooperation between universities and corporations concerning PhD training".

The new partnership between Aarhus University and Novo Nordisk A/S is therefore fully in line with the government's ambition to stimulate Denmark's competitiveness.

Strong focus on talent development

"The new partnership is aimed at developing new joint research projects focusing on long-term complications of diabetes. But it is equally aimed at attracting and retaining  exceptional research talents both at Aarhus University and Novo Nordisk A/S," says Allan Flyvbjerg and continues:

"Actually, we’re going further than the recommendations of the growth plan, as we will not only be establishing industrial PhD positions but will also be creating special positions at postdoc level. Establishing industrial professorships is another possibility," explains Allan Flyvbjerg. 

The new research partnership will be kicked off with a seminar at Novo Nordisk’s Favrholm Campus in Hillerød, Denmark on Thursday 3 October 2013. The signing of the partnership agreement and the presentation of several of the planned research projects are on the seminar programme.

Further Information

Dean Allan Flyvbjerg

Aarhus University

Mobile: (+45) 5177 9548
alf@adm.au.dk

Media Relations Manager Mette Kruse Danielsen
Novo Nordisk A/S

Mobile: (+45) 3079 3883
mkd@novonordisk.com