COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) – Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk A/S says first-quarter net profit grew 23 percent to 4.07 billion kroner ($802.1 million) on strong sales.

The world’s biggest insulin maker says net profit in the January-March period grew from 3.3 billion kroner a year earlier. Revenue increased 15 percent to 15.7 billion kroner from 13.7 billion kroner.

Chief Executive Lars Rebien Soerensen said Thursday that the 2011 outlook remained unchanged with sales expected to grow 8-10 percent and operating profit growth of around 15 percent.

Rebien Soerensen said the group was “encouraged by the continued double-digit sales growth” of its new diabetes drug Victoza and modern insulins.