World's first once-a-week insulin launched in India

In a major healthcare development, India has become one of the first countries in the world to introduce basal insulin that is used just once a week.

The country’s health authorities approved Awiqli developed by Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk, offering a new treatment option for adults living with diabetes, reports the Times of India.

Novo Nordisk Indian Managing Director Vikrant Shrotriya said India was the seventh country to launch Awiqli, known generically as insulin icodec.

The United States, the European Union and several other countries had already cleared it.
The Danish drugmaker hopes the treatment will remove psychological and physical barriers that prevent many patients from starting insulin therapy.

The number of diabetic patients in India now stands at more than 101 million, with another 136 million estimated to have pre-diabetes.

According to Novo Nordisk, Awiqli simplifies insulin therapy by reducing the injection count from 365 a year to just 52, while providing blood sugar control comparable to or better than existing daily basal insulin treatments.

The insulin is injected under the skin of the abdomen, thighs or upper arms, with the dosage following the patient's blood glucose levels.

Type 1 diabetic patients are required to administer Awiqli alongside short-acting insulin taken at mealtimes.

For those with Type 2 diabetes, it can be used directly or in combination with other diabetes medicines, including rapid-acting insulin if needed.

The launch also comes as India's insulin market continues to expand.

The IMARC Group forecast that the market will grow from $660.5 million in 2025 to $916.4 million by 2034.