TRADING IN NOVO NORDISK SHARES BY INSIDERS AND CONNECTED PERSONS AS REPORTED TO
NOVO NORDISK ON 20 AUGUST 2004

IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 37 OF THE DANISH SECURITIES TRADING ACT, NOVO NORDISK
IS REQUIRED ON A DAILY BASIS TO PUBLISH INSIDERS' AND CONNECTED PERSONS' TRADING
IN THE NOVO NORDISK SHARE AS REPORTED BY INSIDERS TO NOVO NORDISK, IN CASE NET
TRADING FOR THE INSIDERS AND CONNECTED PERSONS AS A GROUP EXCEEDS DKK 50,000.

Please find below a statement of the trading in the Novo Nordisk share by
insiders and connected persons as a group as reported to Novo Nordisk.

ID CODE                                                          DK001028081
TRADING PERIOD                                                   19. AUGUST 2004
NET NUMBER OF SHARES TRADED                                      0
VALUE OF NET NUMBER OF SHARES TRADED IN DKK                      -560,250
TOTAL SHAREHOLDING, NUMBER OF SHARES                             650,788
MARKET VALUE OF TOTAL SHAREHOLDING IN DKK                        209,879,130

For definitions and background information please see below.

DEFINITIONS AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

WHO ARE INSIDERS AND CONNECTED PERSONS?

Insiders at Novo Nordisk are defined as members of the Board of Directors,
members of Executive Management, senior vice presidents and all employees
reporting directly to them, all employees in Corporate Legal, Corporate Finance,
Investor Relations and Corporate Communications, elected auditors and their
deputies as well as certain other employees who by the general counsel have been
categorised as insiders. Further, insiders include the following from Novo
Nordisk's parent organisation, Novo A/S and the Novo Nordisk Foundation: members
of the Board of Directors, members of Executive Management and other employees
who have access to inside information re Novo Nordisk, as well as elected
auditors. The insider register at Novo Nordisk comprises approximately 500
directors, executives and employees.

This group's reported trading in the Novo Nordisk share also includes trading
undertaken by insiders' spouses/cohabitants or children under the age of 18 as
well as any company, foundation and/or other businesses controlled by the
insider, his/her spouse/cohabitant and/or children under the age of 18
(connected persons). This brings the group to a total of approximately
1,500-2,000 members. If the net value of the daily trading by this group does
not exceed DKK 50,000, Novo Nordisk is not obliged to issue a stock exchange
announcement on the trading undertaken by the group.



WHAT ARE ID CODE AND SHARES?

The ID code is the code (ISIN) of the Novo Nordisk share on the Copenhagen Stock
Exchange. Shares include shares listed on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange and
London Stock Exchange as well as ADRs listed on New York Stock Exchange, except
for ADRs held in 401(k) retirement plan by US-based employees.

WHAT IS TRADING PERIOD?

Trading period is the actual period in which the trading of the shares has taken
place.

WHAT ARE NET NUMBER OF SHARES TRADED AND VALUE OF NET NUMBER OF SHARES TRADED?

The net number of shares traded is the number of shares purchased or otherwise
acquired minus the number of shares sold or otherwise disposed of by the
insiders and connected persons as a group. The value of the net number of shares
traded is the difference between 1) the aggregate value of shares acquired
calculated at the actual trading prices for each trade and 2) the aggregate
value of shares disposed of calculated at the actual trading prices for each
trade. The Danish Central Bank's (Nationalbanken) exchange rate two stock
exchange days prior to the date of this announcement has been used for
calculating the actual trading price in DKK in case of shares traded on London
Stock Exchange and ADRs listed on New York Stock Exchange.

WHAT IS TOTAL SHAREHOLDING?

The total shareholding is the total number of shares held by the insiders and
connected persons as a group.

WHAT IS MARKET VALUE OF THE TOTAL SHAREHOLDING?

The market value is the total shareholding of the insiders and connected persons
as a group multiplied by the closing share price on the Copenhagen Stock
Exchange two stock exchange trading days prior to the date of this announcement.

Novo Nordisk is a healthcare company and a world leader in diabetes care. The
company has the broadest diabetes product portfolio in the industry, including
the most advanced products within the area of insulin delivery systems. In
addition, Novo Nordisk has a leading position within areas such as haemostasis
management, growth hormone therapy and hormone replacement therapy. Novo Nordisk
manufactures and markets pharmaceutical products and services that make a
significant difference to patients, the medical profession and society. With
headquarters in Denmark, Novo Nordisk employs approximately 18,800 full-time
employees in 69 countries, and markets its products in 179 countries. Novo
Nordisk's B shares are listed on the stock exchanges in Copenhagen and London.
Its ADRs are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol 'NVO'. For
more information, visit novonordisk.com.

For further information please contact:
Media:                                     Investors:

Outside North America:                     Outside North America:

Elin K Hansen                              Peter Haahr
Tel (direct): (+45) 4442 3450              Tel (direct): (+45) 4442 1207

                                           Palle Holm Olesen
                                           Tel (direct): (+45) 4442 6175

In North America:                          In North America:

Susan T Jackson                            Christian Kanstrup
Tel (direct): (+1) 609 919 7776            Tel (direct): (+1) 609 919 7937


Stock Exchange Announcement No 49 / 2004