Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk launched Awiqli, also known as insulin icodec, on Wednesday. It is the first once-weekly basal insulin approved for adults with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. The treatment reduces annual injections from 365 to 52.
Insulin helps transport glucose from the blood into cells. People with Type 1 diabetes or advanced Type 2 diabetes typically require daily insulin shots, sometimes multiple times per day, to maintain healthy blood sugar levels.
The company, known for its semaglutide diabetes and obesity medication, stated that the new option targets a major obstacle to insulin use in India: fear of daily injections. This fear often delays treatment start by seven to nine years on average.
India has roughly 10.1 crore people with diabetes and 13.6 crore with prediabetes. Over 9 lakh individuals have Type 1 diabetes, which requires insulin therapy. About 10 percent of Type 2 diabetes patients also need insulin.
Novo Nordisk produces four of India’s five top-selling insulin brands, including Mixtard and Ryzodeg. It has partnered with Abbott for local distribution.
Awiqli is administered once weekly via the FlexTouch pen. The company noted that the simpler schedule may boost adherence and encourage earlier treatment starts.
The launch comes as India faces one of the world’s highest diabetes burdens. Recent NFHS-6 data shows rising high blood sugar rates in both urban and rural areas.
Trials from the ONWARDS-1 programme indicated that Awiqli provided better HbA1c reduction and improved time in range versus daily insulin glargine U100, with a similar safety profile. More Type 2 patients reached HbA1c below 7 percent without hypoglycemia.
Vikrant Shrotriya, Managing Director of Novo Nordisk India, called the launch a defining moment for diabetes care, noting it could lower psychological and physical barriers.
Endocrinologist Dr S.K. Wangnoo of Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in New Delhi said delayed starts and poor adherence harm outcomes. Simplified treatments may improve acceptance and allow timelier care.
A 2022 ICMR-funded study coordinated by the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation found that only one in three people with known diabetes received proper management.
