[caption id="attachment_9277" align="aligncenter" width="747"] Press Release[/caption] Bagsv?rd, Denmark and Yamaguchi, Japan, 7 November ? Novo Nordisk A/S and UBE Industries Ltd. today announced that Novo Nordisk has obtained an exclusive worldwide licence to UBE's preclinical asset UD-014, a selective Semicarbazide-Sensitive Amine Oxidase/Vascular Adhesion Protein-1 (SSAO/VAP-1) inhibitor small molecule, which has shown promising efficacy in preclinical studies for its anti-inflammatory mechanism of action and antioxidative effect on endothelial cells, and can potentially be used for the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NASH is a chronic and progressive liver disease characterised by fat accumulation and inflammation in the liver, which can lead to fibrosis and impaired liver function. If left untreated, individuals living with NASH may face serious consequences, including end-stage liver disease, liver cancer and the need for liver transplantation, and are at a significantly higher risk of liver-related mortality. Under the terms of the agreement, UBE will receive an upfront payment as well as development and sales milestones plus tiered royalties on the annual net sales. Novo Nordisk will be responsible for the further development, manufacturing and commercialisation of UD-014. "This is a great opportunity for Novo Nordisk, to extend our presence and investment in NASH. We are looking forward to working closely with UBE to transfer the project and to continue the development of UD-014 as there are currently no treatments available for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis" says Marcus Schindler, senior vice president for Global Drug Discovery in Novo Nordisk. "NASH is a complex disease and we hope that patients living with NASH will get more treatment options for which we believe that UD-014 is a strong potential candidate. We are excited that Novo Nordisk with its broad expertise related to diabetes and metabolic diseases takes on the responsibility for the development. We look forward to working with Novo Nordisk's team for the transfer of this important project that has a potential to make a difference for the many untreated NASH patients" says Yoichi Funayama, executive officer of UBE Industries.

About UBE

Ube Industries, Ltd. is a chemistry-focused company engaged in the areas of pharmaceuticals, construction materials, machinery, energy and environment. In our pharmaceutical business, we particularly focus on producing a new drug from our region with abundant technological innovation and aim to contribute to better health for everyone. To allow us to contribute to progress of medication, we will continue our efforts to produce the seeds for new drugs based on both "Drug Discovery through our own and collaboration research projects" and "Manufacture and Supply of API and Intermediates". For more detailed information on Ube Industries, please visit our website. http://www.ube.co.jp

About Novo Nordisk

Novo Nordisk is a global healthcare company with more than 95 years of innovation and leadership in diabetes care. This heritage has given us experience and capabilities that also enable us to help people defeat obesity, haemophilia, growth disorders and other serious chronic diseases. Headquartered in Denmark, Novo Nordisk employs approximately 41,600 people in 80 countries and markets its products in more than 170 countries. For more information, visit?novonordisk.com,?Facebook,?Twitter,?LinkedIn,?YouTube.