Jacob Petersen

Bio:

Jacob Petersen is currently the Senior Vice President (SVP), Global Research in Research and Development for Novo Nordisk, where he is responsible for all therapy areas, with a particular focus on obesity and diabetes, through innovative, transformative treatments and solutions. The Global Research area operates with agility, differentiation, scalability and enterprise thinking across the development lifecycle.

Previously, he was SVP, Diabetes, Obesity and MASH Therapy Area in Research and Early Development at Novo Nordisk, overseeing transformative treatments including cell therapies and SVP, Global Nucleic Acid Therapies, developing next-generation siRNA and gene therapies. This area included the integration of the legacy Dicerna Pharmaceuticals team which was purchased by Novo Nordisk in 2021.

Jacob’s extensive 30+ year career at Novo Nordisk has included various research leadership positions of growing size and complexity, and positions such as the Corporate Vice President, Head of Cell Therapies R&D where he was responsible for building a new organization with full R&D value chain capabilities including manufacturing and devices. Jacob was also the Head of Global Research within metabolic diseases including diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, kidney disease, beta cells, and type 1 diabetes. 

Jacob has more than 70 published papers in peered reviewed journals and has been an adjunct professor at Copenhagen University in Biomedicine. Jacob holds several board positions including Chairman of the Board of Ketotic Hypoglycemia International, board member at Novo Nordisk Pharmatec A/S and Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM).

Jacob is currently located in the Boston area where since 2023 he has served as the site head to Novo Nordisk’s US Research and Development Boston Hub.