Novo Nordisk India on Thursday announced the launch of Awiqli (insulin icodec), which the company says is the world’s first once-weekly basal insulin for adults with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. The treatment reduces the insulin regimen from one injection every day to one injection every week, lowering the number of annual injections from 365 to 52.
The company said Awiqli represents a major shift in insulin therapy by simplifying treatment rather than making incremental improvements.
According to Novo Nordisk, the global ONWARDS-1 clinical programme showed that Awiqli delivered superior HbA1c reduction and improved Time in Range compared with once-daily insulin glargine U100. The company said more people with Type 2 diabetes achieved an HbA1c level below 7 per cent without hypoglycaemia, while improved Time in Range resulted in better glucose control throughout the day.
Vikrant Shrotriya, Managing Director of Novo Nordisk India, described the launch as a significant milestone for diabetes care in the country. He said the company has spent more than a century working to make insulin therapy simpler, safer and more accessible, adding that once-weekly insulin has long been an aspiration for the diabetes care community.
According to Shrotriya, Awiqli could help reduce the psychological and physical barriers associated with insulin initiation, enabling more people to achieve better diabetes control and an improved quality of life.
Dr S. K. Wangnoo, Senior Consultant Endocrinologist and Diabetologist at the Apollo Centre for Obesity, Diabetes & Endocrinology (ACODE), Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, said insulin remains the cornerstone of diabetes management for many patients, but delayed initiation and poor adherence continue to affect treatment outcomes. He said treatments that simplify insulin therapy could encourage patients to begin treatment earlier and improve discussions between doctors and patients on timely diabetes management.
The launch comes as India continues to face one of the world’s largest diabetes burdens. More than 101 million people are living with diabetes, while another 136 million have prediabetes, placing them at high risk of developing the disease.
The National Family Health Survey-6 (2023-24) reported a rise in blood sugar levels across both urban and rural India. According to the survey, 20.9 per cent of men aged 15 years and above have high blood sugar levels or are taking diabetes medication, up from 15.6 per cent in NFHS-5 (2019-21). Among women aged 15 years and above, the figure increased to 17.8 per cent from 13.5 per cent.
Despite the growing prevalence of diabetes, insulin initiation in India is delayed by an average of seven to nine years. Factors contributing to the delay include fear of injections, anticipated pain, treatment complexity, cost concerns and worries about hypoglycaemia, weight gain, dose titration and patient adherence.
As Type 2 diabetes progresses, insulin therapy often becomes clinically necessary. Novo Nordisk said Awiqli’s once-weekly dosing schedule, supported by clinical evidence and delivered through the FlexTouch device, could help address some of these barriers to insulin adoption.
