Denmark-based Novo Nordisk announces plans to buy Catalent, one of Bloomington's biggest employers

Novo Holdings and Catalent announced the plan Monday and said they hope to conclude the deal by the end of the year.

The plan has generated some unease among Catalent’s Bloomington employees, who have gone through difficult months of job reductions after a frenzied production buildup during the pandemic. 

“What happens now? Will there be more layoffs?” said someone who identified themselves on social media as a Catalent employee.

Novo has need to ramp up production of patented drug Wegovy

Catalent had about 4,000 employees in the Bloomington area in 2022, but has reduced staff since then as it struggled to adjust to a post-pandemic economy. A current headcount was not available on Monday. The company, and the city’s economic development department did not immediately reply to emails Monday morning. Jen Pearl, president of the Bloomington Economic Development Corp., said she was not ready to comment yet.