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


                                 August 26, 2008


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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 15 August 2008 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 of up to
DKK 1.7 billion in the period from 15 August 2008 to 19 December 2008.

Since the announcement as of 15 August 2008, the following transactions have
been made under the programme:

                                                          AVERAGE    TRANSACTION
                                 NUMBER OF SHARES  PURCHASE PRICE     VALUE, DKK
15 August 2008                             50,000        310.5600     15,528,000
18 August 2008                             50,000        310.1800     15,509,000
19 August 2008                             60,000        299.9000     17,994,000
20 August 2008                             50,000        298.3600     14,918,000
21 August 2008                             50,000        295.1700     14,758,500
22 August 2008                             50,000        292.7000     14,635,000
ACCUMULATED UNDER THE PROGRAMME           310,000                     93,342,500

Transactions related to Novo Nordisk's incentive programmes have resulted in a
net sale by Novo Nordisk of 51,070 B-shares in the period from 14 August 2008 to
21 August 2008. 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 21,522,960
treasury shares, corresponding to 3.4% 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 approximately 26,300 employees in
80 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:

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

                                       Hans Rommer
                                       Tel: (+45) 4442 4765
                                       hrmm@novonordisk.com

In North America:
Sean Clements
Tel: (+1) 609 514 8316
secl@novonordisk.com

Company Announcement no 53 / 2008



                                   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: August 26, 2008                          NOVO NORDISK A/S
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                                            Lars Rebien Sorensen,
                                     President and Chief Executive Officer