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


                                  May 11, 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 4 May 2009, the following transactions have been
made under the programme:

                                            AVERAGE PURCHASE       TRANSACTION
                           NUMBER OF                   PRICE        VALUE, DKK
                              SHARES
ACCUMULATED, LAST
ANNOUNCEMENT               5,267,641                             1,453,764,425
4 May 2009                    90,000                  274.18        24,676,200
5 May 2009                    90,000                  274.08        24,667,200
6 May 2009                    85,000                  274.02        23,291,700
7 May 2009                   159,541                  267.84        42,731,461
ACCUMULATED UNDER
THE PROGRAMME              5,692,182                             1,569,130,987

Transactions related to Novo Nordisk's incentive programmes have resulted in a
net sale by Novo Nordisk of 4,109 B shares in the period from 4 May to 7 May.
The shares in these transactions were not part of the Safe Harbour repurchase
programme.

With the transactions stated above, Novo Nordisk owns a total of 30,510,025
treasury shares, corresponding to 4.8% of the share capital. The total amount of
shares in the company is 634,000,000 including treasury shares.

The Annual General Meeting of Novo Nordisk A/S, which was held on 18 March 2009,
approved a 2.2% reduction in the total share capital by cancellation of
14,000,000 treasury B shares of DKK 1 at a nominal value of DKK 14,000,000.
After the legal implementation of the share capital reduction, which is expected
to take place after expiry of the legal notice period in June 2009, Novo
Nordisk's share capital will amount to DKK 620,000,000 divided into an A share
capital of DKK 107,487,200 and a B share capital of DKK 512,512,800. Taking into
account the expected cancellation Novo Nordisk would currently own 2.7% of such
reduced share capital.



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 America:        Outside North America:
Elin K Hansen                 Mads Veggerby Lausten
Tel: (+45) 4442 3450          Tel: (+45) 4443 7919
ekh@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 27 / 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: May 11, 2009                          NOVO NORDISK A/S
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                                            Lars Rebien Sorensen,
                                     President and Chief Executive Officer