News

Dear Colleagues,

We wish to inform you of an important development regarding the future funding of the Novo Nordisk UK Research Foundation (NNUKRF).

Novo Nordisk Ltd, the Foundation’s sole donor, has confirmed that it will cease its annual donation to NNUKRF from 2027 onwards. As a consequence, the Foundation will begin a phased wind-down of operations once its existing funding obligations have been fulfilled. Based on current commitments, we anticipate that NNUKRF will continue to operate until approximately 2030.

We would like to reassure you—as valued members of the wider healthcare and research community—that all existing commitments will be honored in full. Current award holders will continue to receive funding through to their agreed project end dates. We have written directly to host institutions and, where applicable, collaborating charities to confirm that support for your projects remains unchanged. The scientific advisory boards and Board of Trustees will also remain in place to ensure continuity of oversight and governance during this transition period.

We recognise that this news will come as a disappointment. Since its establishment in 1996, the Novo Nordisk UK Research Foundation has provided more than £6.5 million to support research and education within the diabetes professional community.

Over nearly three decades, the Foundation has funded XX clinical research fellowships and supported XX other initiatives that have contributed to advancing diabetes care, fostering scientific excellence, and developing future leaders in the field.

We remain immensely proud of the work achieved through the dedication of our award holders, partners, and colleagues across the healthcare community, and we are committed to ensuring that the Foundation concludes its activities responsibly, transparently, and with minimal disruption to ongoing research.

If you have any questions, please contact the NNUKRF team at ukresearchfoundation@novonordisk.com

Yours sincerely,
Novo Nordisk UK Research Foundation

Statement from Novo Nordisk Ltd:

“We are extremely proud to have funded the Novo Nordisk UK Research Foundation for the last 30 years and are very grateful to all Trustees and Committee members past and present who have generously given their time.

As part of a global effort to consolidate operations across Novo Nordisk, we were asked to review all existing arrangements in the UK, including those with the Novo Nordisk UK Research Foundation. As a result of this review, we have unfortunately concluded that the Research Foundation is no longer the right model for us, based on the evolving needs of the global operation. We have committed to provide the funding for the Research Foundation for 2026 and will continue to fund all existing and ongoing projects. However, we are not providing funding for new applications from 2027 onwards.

Despite the very challenging commercial environment for life sciences in the UK, Novo Nordisk has continued to invest heavily in R&D, including an increased investment year on year in clinical trials and a research hub in Oxford and the AI hub in Kings Cross. We remain committed to continued funding of R&D activities here in UK, as well as broader educational initiatives, specifically supporting the business’ priority areas of diabetes and obesity.”

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