Bristol-Myers Squibb vs Novo Nordisk: Founders, CEOs and History
Bristol-Myers Squibb was founded in 1887 by Edward Robinson Squibb, William McLaren Bristol, John Ripley Myers and is led by Christopher Boerner. Novo Nordisk was founded in 1989 by Hans Christian Hagedorn, Harald Pedersen and is led by Maziar Mike Doustdar.
Company facts
Bristol-Myers Squibb
- Founded
- 1887
- Headquarters
- Princeton, New Jersey
- Current CEO
- Christopher Boerner
- Employees
- 32,500
Novo Nordisk
- Founded
- 1989
- Headquarters
- Bagsvaerd, Denmark
- Current CEO
- Maziar Mike Doustdar
- Employees
- 66,700
Founders
Bristol-Myers Squibb
Edward Robinson Squibb
Squibb resigned his Navy post and opened a small laboratory in Brooklyn in 1858 to make pure ether, chloroform and other medicines.
William McLaren Bristol
In 1887 Bristol and Myers bought the Clinton Pharmaceutical Company of Clinton, New York, reportedly for about $5,000.
John Ripley Myers
Myers and Bristol bought the Clinton Pharmaceutical Company in Clinton, New York, in 1887 and renamed it Bristol, Myers and Company in 1898.
Novo Nordisk
Hans Christian Hagedorn
Hans Christian Hagedorn (1888-1971) was a Danish physician who co-founded Nordisk Insulinlaboratorium in 1923 with August and Marie Krogh after the Kroghs obtained rights to make insulin in Scandinavia.
Harald Pedersen
Harald Pedersen and his brother Thorvald worked at Nordisk Insulinlaboratorium before a 1924 dispute led them to set up Novo Terapeutisk Laboratorium in Copenhagen in 1925.
CEOs and their tenures
Bristol-Myers Squibb
- Charles A. Heimbold Jr.1994–2001
Chief Executive Officer
Serving as CEO from 1994 to 2001, he aggressively expanded the company's oncology portfolio, notably launching the blockbuster cancer drug Taxol, which drove massive revenue growth.
Source - Peter R. Dolan2001–2006
Chief Executive Officer
Dolan, who had run the consumer products and medical device divisions, succeeded Charles Heimbold in May 2001. His tenure included the ImClone partnership on the cancer drug Erbitux and a federal investigation into wholesaler inventory practices.
Source - James M. Cornelius2006–2010
Chief Executive Officer
Cornelius took over after Peter Dolan's removal in September 2006 and ran the company until May 2010.
Source - Lamberto Andreotti2010–2015
Chief Executive Officer
Andreotti, previously president and chief operating officer, became CEO on May 4, 2010.
Source - Giovanni Caforio2015–2023
Chief Executive Officer
Caforio, a physician, succeeded Lamberto Andreotti in May 2015. He led the $74 billion Celgene acquisition in 2019, the $13.1 billion MyoKardia deal in 2020 and the $4.1 billion Turning Point deal in 2022, and agreed the Mirati purchase in October 2023.
Source - Chris Boerner2023–present
Board Chair and Chief Executive Officer
Boerner became CEO in November 2023 and board chair on April 1, 2024, after serving as executive vice president, chief operating officer and CEO-designate from April 2023 and earlier as chief commercialization officer.
Source
Novo Nordisk
- Lars Rebien Sørensen2000–2016
Chief Executive Officer
Serving as CEO from 2000 to 2016, he laid the absolutely critical, foundational R&D groundwork for GLP-1 agonists that would eventually lead to the massive global explosion of Ozempic and Wegovy.
Source - Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen2017–2025
Chief Executive Officer
CEO from January 2017 to August 2025. Oversaw the launches of Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy and large capacity investments, then was replaced by the board in 2025 after share losses to Eli Lilly and a cut to guidance.
Source - Maziar Mike Doustdar2025–present
President and Chief Executive Officer
Became CEO on August 7, 2025, succeeding Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen. Joined Novo Nordisk in 1992 and previously ran International Operations, where sales more than doubled over a decade. First non-Danish CEO in the company's history.
Source - Lars Rebien Sørensen2025–present
Chair of the Board
Serving as CEO from 2000 to 2016, he laid the absolutely critical, foundational R&D groundwork for GLP-1 agonists that would eventually lead to the massive global explosion of Ozempic and Wegovy.
Source
Timeline: Bristol-Myers Squibb and Novo Nordisk side by side
1858Bristol-Myers Squibb
Edward Robinson Squibb opens his Brooklyn laboratory
Navy surgeon Edward Robinson Squibb started making pure ether and other medicines in Brooklyn. The laboratory burned down on Christmas Eve 1858 and reopened in 1859 after local doctors and surgeons contributed $2,100.
1887Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bristol and Myers buy the Clinton Pharmaceutical Company
Hamilton College graduates William McLaren Bristol and John Ripley Myers bought the Clinton Pharmaceutical Company of Clinton, New York, the business that became Bristol-Myers.
1898Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bristol, Myers and Company is named
The founders renamed the business Bristol, Myers and Company in May 1898. After Myers died in 1899 it became Bristol-Myers, which built national brands in Sal Hepatica and, from 1901, Ipana toothpaste.
1923Novo Nordisk
Founding of Nordisk Insulinlaboratorium
August Krogh and Hans Christian Hagedorn founded the Nordisk Insulinlaboratorium in Copenhagen, securing the licensing rights to produce insulin for the Scandinavian countries.
1925Novo Nordisk
Founding of Novo Terapeutisk Laboratorium
Harald Pedersen and a group of Danish physicians founded Novo Terapeutisk Laboratorium to produce insulin and other biological products using industrial-scale fermentation processes.
1944Bristol-Myers Squibb
Penicillin at wartime scale
Squibb opened what was then the world's largest penicillin plant in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Bristol-Myers had bought Cheplin Biological Laboratories in East Syracuse, New York, in 1943 and converted it to penicillin for Allied forces.
1989Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bristol-Myers and Squibb merge
Bristol-Myers and Squibb combined to form Bristol-Myers Squibb, uniting a consumer and pharmaceutical company with a research-led drugmaker.
1989Novo Nordisk
Merger of Novo and Nordisk
The $1.5 billion merger of Novo Industri and Nordisk Insulinlaboratorium was completed, creating Novo Nordisk A/S as one of the world's largest insulin manufacturers.
2005Novo Nordisk
Launch of Insulin detemir (Levemir)
Novo Nordisk launched Insulin detemir, a long-acting basal insulin analog with a flat action profile and reduced risk of hypoglycemia compared to NPH insulin.
2006Bristol-Myers Squibb
CEO Peter Dolan removed over the Plavix deal
After an FBI raid in July 2006 over a patent settlement with generic maker Apotex on the blood thinner Plavix, the federal monitor urged the board to remove CEO Peter Dolan, who stepped down on September 12, 2006.
2009Bristol-Myers Squibb
Medarex bought and Mead Johnson split off
BMS bought Medarex, gaining Yervoy and a share of what became Opdivo, and split off Mead Johnson Nutrition in an exchange offer, completing its shift to a specialty biopharmaceutical company.
2009Novo Nordisk
Launch of Victoza (liraglutide)
Novo Nordisk launched Victoza, the first once-daily GLP-1 receptor agonist, marking the company's strategic pivot from insulin to incretin-based therapies.
2011Bristol-Myers Squibb
FDA approves Yervoy
Yervoy (ipilimumab) became the first drug shown to extend overall survival in advanced melanoma, opening BMS's immuno-oncology franchise.
2012Bristol-Myers Squibb
FDA approves Eliquis
The FDA approved Eliquis (apixaban), developed with Pfizer, in December 2012 for stroke prevention in non-valvular atrial fibrillation. It became BMS's largest product, with $14.4 billion of sales in 2025.
2014Bristol-Myers Squibb
FDA approves Opdivo
The FDA approved the PD-1 inhibitor Opdivo (nivolumab) in December 2014 for advanced melanoma. It reached $10.0 billion of sales in 2025.
2017Novo Nordisk
Launch of Ozempic (semaglutide)
Novo Nordisk launched Ozempic, a once-weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist for type 2 diabetes, which became the fastest-growing diabetes drug in history.
2019Bristol-Myers Squibb
Celgene acquisition closes
BMS completed its $74 billion purchase of Celgene on November 20, 2019, adding Revlimid, Pomalyst, Reblozyl and CAR-T programs. Celgene sold Otezla to Amgen for $13.4 billion to win regulatory approval.
2020Bristol-Myers Squibb
MyoKardia deal and a GAAP loss
BMS bought MyoKardia for $13.1 billion, gaining mavacamten (Camzyos). The deal's $11.4 billion in-process R&D charge pushed 2020 to a net loss despite $42.5 billion of revenue.
2021Novo Nordisk
Launch of Wegovy (semaglutide 2.4mg)
Novo Nordisk launched Wegovy, a high-dose formulation of semaglutide for chronic weight management, demonstrating an average weight loss of 14.9% in the STEP-1 trial.
2022Bristol-Myers Squibb
Turning Point bought as Revlimid generics arrive
BMS completed the $4.1 billion purchase of Turning Point Therapeutics in August 2022 while volume-limited generic lenalidomide began eroding Revlimid, which had peaked at $12.8 billion in 2021.
2023Bristol-Myers Squibb
Chris Boerner becomes CEO
Chris Boerner succeeded Giovanni Caforio as chief executive in November 2023 and became board chair on April 1, 2024. Weeks earlier BMS had agreed to buy Mirati, and in December it agreed to buy Karuna and RayzeBio.
2023Novo Nordisk
SELECT Trial Results
Novo Nordisk announced the results of the SELECT trial, demonstrating a 20% reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events for semaglutide 2.4mg in non-diabetic obese patients.
2024Bristol-Myers Squibb
Karuna, Mirati and RayzeBio close; Cobenfy approved
The three deals closed between January and March 2024. On September 26, 2024 the FDA approved Cobenfy, the first schizophrenia drug that targets muscarinic rather than dopamine receptors. The Karuna charge produced an $8.9 billion net loss for 2024.
2024Novo Nordisk
Catalent Acquisition
Novo Holdings completed its $16.5 billion acquisition of Catalent in December 2024, and Novo Nordisk bought three Catalent fill-finish sites in Italy, Belgium and Indiana for $11 billion to expand Wegovy and Ozempic capacity.
2024Novo Nordisk
FY2024 Financial Results
Novo Nordisk reported FY2024 net sales of ~$44.1 billion (DKK 290.4 billion), up 25% in DKK, and net profit of ~$15.4 billion (DKK 101.0 billion).
2025Bristol-Myers Squibb
BioNTech partnership, Orbital deal and $48.2B revenue
BMS agreed in June 2025 to co-develop BioNTech's bispecific BNT327 and in October 2025 to buy Orbital Therapeutics for $1.5 billion. Full-year revenue was $48.2 billion with the Growth Portfolio up 17 percent.
2025Novo Nordisk
CEO Change and Restructuring
Mike Doustdar replaced Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen as CEO on August 7, 2025, and in September the company announced about 9,000 job cuts. Lars Rebien Sørensen later became board chair after a dispute with the Novo Nordisk Foundation over board composition.
2026Bristol-Myers Squibb
Guidance raised and merger reports denied
On July 30, 2026 BMS raised its 2026 revenue guidance to $49.0 to $50.0 billion after second-quarter revenue of $12.97 billion. In August, reports of AstraZeneca merger talks were followed by a senior source telling Reuters there were no discussions.
2026Novo Nordisk
Wegovy Pill Launch
After FDA approval in December 2025, Novo launched the oral Wegovy pill in the US in January 2026; it passed 5 million prescriptions by August 2026 and received EU approval in July 2026.
2026Novo Nordisk
Capital Markets Day
On September 21, 2026 Novo set 2030 targets of mid-single-digit sales growth and more than five multi-blockbuster launches; the shares fell about 8%.
Acquisitions
Bristol-Myers Squibb
- Orbital Therapeutics2025$1.5B
- Mirati Therapeutics2024$4.8B
- RayzeBio2024$4.1B
- Karuna Therapeutics2024$14B
- Turning Point Therapeutics2022$4.1B
- MyoKardia2020$13.1B
Novo Nordisk
- Akero Therapeutics2025$5.2B
- Three Catalent fill-finish sites2024$11B
- Dicerna Pharmaceuticals2021$3.3B
Questions about Bristol-Myers Squibb vs Novo Nordisk
Who is the CEO of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and Novo Nordisk A/S?
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company is led by Christopher Boerner and Novo Nordisk A/S is led by Maziar Mike Doustdar. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Bristol-Myers Squibb Company founded vs Novo Nordisk A/S?
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company was founded in 1887 — 102 years before Novo Nordisk A/S, which was founded in 1989. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Novo Nordisk A/S.
How many employees does Bristol-Myers Squibb Company have compared to Novo Nordisk A/S?
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company employs approximately 32,500 people, while Novo Nordisk A/S employs approximately 66,700. Novo Nordisk A/S has the larger workforce at 66,700 employees, compared to Bristol-Myers Squibb Company's 32,500. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and Novo Nordisk A/S headquartered?
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company is headquartered in United States and Novo Nordisk A/S is headquartered in Denmark. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and Novo Nordisk A/S?
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company was founded by Edward Robinson Squibb, William McLaren Bristol, John Ripley Myers. Novo Nordisk A/S was founded by Hans Christian Hagedorn, Harald Pedersen.
Which company has a longer operating history — Bristol-Myers Squibb Company or Novo Nordisk A/S?
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company has been operating for approximately 139 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Novo Nordisk A/S has been in operation for around 37 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Bristol-Myers Squibb vs Novo Nordisk overview