Summary of Group
First half (unaudited)
	1997		1996		Change
	DKK million	USD*) million	DKK million	USD*) million	%
Net turnover	7,892	1,189	7,051	1,062	12
Operating income	1,317	198	1,145	172	15
Net financials	28	4	84	13	(67)
Income before tax	1,345	203	1,229	185	9
Tax	385	58	356	54	8
Net income	960	145	873	131	10
Total assets	23,332	3,514	21,111	3,180	11
Capital expenditure for property, plant and equipment (net)	1,238	186	665	100	86
Number of employees at the end of period	13,815		13,364		3
Of which in Denmark	8,845		8,765		1
Earnings per share of DKK 10	12.80	1.93	11.64	1.75	10
Earnings per ADS (DKK)	6.40	0.97	5.82	0.88	10
Average number of shares outstanding (million)	75.0		75.0		-
*) Translated for convenience at the 30 June 1997 exchange rate of USD 1.00 = DKK 6.6390. See also point 5 under "Change in Novo Nordisk's accounting policies".

Financial years
	1996	1995	1994	1993
	DKK million	DKK million	DKK million	DKK million
Net turnover	14,873	13,723	13,524	12,163
Operating income	2,386	2,078	2,050	1,938
Net financials	135	78	(118)	(72)
Income before tax	2,521	2,156	1,932	1,866
Tax	725	593	500	440
Net income	1,799	1,563	1,432	1,426
Number of employees at the end of period	13,395	12,997	12,847	11,648
Of which in Denmark	8,746	8,662	9,060	8,286
Earnings per share of DKK 10	23.98	20.83	19.09	19.01
Earnings per ADS (DKK)
Average number of shares outstanding (million)	75.0	75.0	75.0	75.0

This quarterly statement is automatically forwarded to registered shareholders and is available to the public upon request to the registered office of the company in Denmark. For further financial information please contact: Outside of North America: Poul P Lykkesfeldt Novo Nordisk A/S Novo Allé 2880 Bagsværd, Denmark Tel: (+45) 4442 6468 Fax: (+45) 4444 2314 In North America: Peter Bækgaard Novo Nordisk of North America, Inc 405 Lexington Avenue, Suite 6400 New York, NY 10017, USA Tel: (+1) 212 867 0123 Fax: (+1) 212 867 0298