UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

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                                    FORM 6-K

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                            REPORT OF FOREIGN ISSUER

                       Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16
                     of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


                                 March 17, 2009


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                                NOVO NORDISK A/S
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)


                                    NOVO ALLE
                               DK-2880, BAGSVAERD
                                     DENMARK
                    (Address of principal executive offices)

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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports
under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F

                       Form 20-F [X]     Form 40-F [ ]


Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information
contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the
Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

                             Yes [ ]     No [X]


If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in
connection with Rule 12g-32(b):82-_____________________



TRANSACTION IN OWN SHARES

NOVO NORDISK A/S - SHARE REPURCHASE PROGRAMME

On 29 January 2009 Novo Nordisk initiated its share repurchase programme in
accordance with the provisions of the European Commission's regulation no
2273/2003 of 22 December 2003, also referred to as the Safe Harbour rules.

Under the programme Novo Nordisk will repurchase B shares for an amount up to
DKK 3.0 billion in the period from 29 January 2009 to 5 August 2009.

Since the announcement as of 9 March 2009, the following transactions have been
made under the programme:



                                    NUMBER OF              AVERAGE          TRANSACTION VALUE,
                                       SHARES             PURCHASE                         DKK
ACCUMULATED, LAST ANNOUNCEMENT
                                                                                  
                                    2,040,000                                      608,016,770
9 March 2009                           80,000               258.96                  20,716,800
10 March 2009                          75,000               257.11                  19,283,400
11 March 2009                          75,000               264.76                  19,857,000
12 March 2009                          75,000               264.60                  19,845,000
13 March 2009                          75,000               267.74                  20,080,500
ACCUMULATED UNDER THE
PROGRAMME                           2,420,000                                      707,799,470



With the transactions stated above, Novo Nordisk owns a total of 27,272,552
treasury shares, corresponding to 4.3% of the share capital. The total amount of
shares in the company is 634,000,000 including treasury shares.

Novo Nordisk is a healthcare company and a world leader in diabetes care. In
addition, Novo Nordisk has a leading position within areas such as haemostasis
management, growth hormone therapy and hormone replacement therapy. Novo Nordisk
manufactures and markets pharmaceutical products and services that make a
significant difference to patients, the medical profession and society. With
headquarters in Denmark, Novo Nordisk employs more than 27,000 employees in 81
countries, and markets its products in 179 countries. Novo Nordisk's B shares
are listed on the stock exchanges in Copenhagen and London. Its ADRs are listed
on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol 'NVO'. For more information,
visit novonordisk.com.

Further information:
Media:                          Investors:

Outside North                   Outside North
America:                        America:
Mette Kruse                     Mads Veggerby
Danielsen                       Lausten
Tel: (+45) 4442 3883            Tel: (+45) 4443 7919
mkd@novonordisk.com             mlau@novonordisk.com

                                Kasper Roseeuw Poulsen
                                Tel: 4442 4471
                                krop@novonordisk.com

In North America:               In North America:
Sean Clements                   Hans Rommer
Tel: (+1) 609 514 8316          Tel: (+1) 609 919 7937
secl@novonordisk.com            hrmm@novonordisk.com

Company Announcement no 14 / 2009



                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf of the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Date: March 17, 2009                          NOVO NORDISK A/S
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                                            Lars Rebien Sorensen,
                                     President and Chief Executive Officer