Once-a-week insulin for diabetes

India among first countries to launch once-a-week insulin for diabetes  

• 365 injections to 52: Once-weekly insulin aims to simplify diabetes treatment.
• A new option, not a replacement: Doctors say the therapy won't suit every patient.
• Backed by clinical trials: A study of 4,000+ adults showed improved long-term blood sugar control.

People living with diabetes in India will soon have access to a new treatment that needs to be taken only once a week instead of every day.

Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk launched Awiqli (insulin icodec) in India on Thursday, making the country one of the first in the world to introduce the once-weekly basal insulin for clinical use. The company says the treatment could make insulin therapy simpler for many patients by reducing the number of injections from 365 a year to just 52.

The launch comes as India continues to face one of the world's biggest diabetes challenges. More than 101 million people in the country are living with diabetes, while another 136 million are estimated to have prediabetes.

How it works

Awiqli is a long-acting insulin that helps keep blood sugar levels stable throughout the week. It is given through a pre-filled pen and is injected under the skin of the abdomen, thigh or upper arm on the same day each week.

For people with Type 1 diabetes, the weekly insulin must still be used along with rapid-acting insulin taken at mealtimes. People with Type 2 diabetes can use it on its own or together with other diabetes medicines, depending on their doctor's advice.

Novo Nordisk said results from clinical trials involving more than 4,000 adults, including participants from India, showed that the once-weekly insulin provided better reductions in HbA1c, a measure of average blood sugar levels over the previous two to three months, than daily basal insulin. The studies also found that patients spent more time within their target blood sugar range while maintaining a similar safety profile.

The company believes the new option could encourage more people to start insulin treatment by making it less demanding. "Many people delay starting insulin because of the burden of daily injections. We hope this once-weekly treatment can help overcome some of those barriers," Novo Nordisk India Managing Director Vikrant Shrotriya said.

Doctors, however, caution that the new insulin is not suitable for everyone. They say it should be seen as another treatment option rather than a replacement for daily insulin, with doctors deciding which patients are most likely to benefit.