Marie and August Krogh were no ordinary couple. She was among Denmark’s first female medical graduates, while he was a renowned physiologist and Nobel laureate. Marie also had diabetes – a disease considered a death sentence at the time.
After hearing of the discovery of insulin in 1921, August and Marie were intrigued. At Marie’s urging, August travelled to Canada to seek permission from the researchers to produce this life-saving medicine in Denmark. Upon his return, Marie also convinced the scientist Hans Christian Hagedorn to join her husband and August Kongsted from Løvens Kemiske Fabrik. In March 1923, the first patients were treated with their insulin, kicking off a century of innovation within diabetes.
This remarkable love story marked the beginning of Novo Nordisk and set the stage for our life-changing protein-based treatments for people living with serious chronic diseases. An unordinary beginning? Of course. But when it comes to driving change, there’s no greater power than love.
Hagedorn's villa in Hellerup where he and August Krogh began experimenting with extracting insulin
Hagedorn's villa in Hellerup where he and August Krogh began experimenting with extracting insulin
The evolution of the Novo Nordisk logo
The evolution of the Novo Nordisk logo
Insulin production in the 1930s at Nordisk Insulinlaboratorium
Steno Memorial Hospital founded in 1932 and Hvidøre Diabetes Sanatorium founded in 1938
Steno Memorial Hospital founded in 1932 and Hvidøre Diabetes Sanatorium founded in 1938
Hans Christian Hagedorn
Hans Christian Hagedorn
Insulin production in the 1940s at Novo Terapeutisk Laboratorium
Harald and Thorvald Pedersen founded the Novo Foundation in 1951
Harald and Thorvald Pedersen founded the Novo Foundation in 1951
Fermentation tanks for penicillin and streptomycin
Fermentation tanks for penicillin and streptomycin
Novo Nordisk production plant in Kalundborg
Novo Nordisk production plant in Kalundborg
Human Monocomponent insulin crystals seen through a microscope
Human Monocomponent insulin crystals seen through a microscope
The Novo Syringe from 1925 and the first NovoPen® device from 1985
The Novo Syringe from 1925 and the first NovoPen® device from 1985
Dr. Ulla Hedner
Dr. Ulla Hedner
Mexico City
Mexico City
Discovering and developing new protein peptide-based therapies
Discovering and developing new protein peptide-based therapies
Children in Copenhagen, Denmark
Children in Copenhagen, Denmark