India Gets Once-Weekly Basal Insulin as Novo Nordisk Introduces Awiqli for Diabetes Care
India: Awiqli (insulin icodec), a once-weekly basal insulin injection for adults with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, has been launched in India by Novo Nordisk. The therapy is designed to reduce the number of insulin injections from 365 per year to 52, making India the seventh country where the drug is available.
The Danish pharmaceutical company describes Awiqli as the world's first once-weekly basal, or long-acting background, insulin approved for clinical use. The product is expected to become available in the Indian market next week and will compete with existing daily basal insulin therapies.
Speaking at the launch in New Delhi, Novo Nordisk India Managing Director Vikrant Shrotriya said a weekly dose of 70 insulin units has been priced at ₹261. The drug will be offered in two prefilled pen presentations: a 1 mL pen containing 700 units priced at ₹2,611, and a 3 mL pen containing 2,100 units priced at ₹7,833.
According to the company, the weekly insulin regimen is priced lower than many currently available daily basal insulin options, where an equivalent 70-unit dose typically costs between ₹345 and ₹453.
Novo Nordisk highlighted the growing burden of diabetes in India, noting that more than 101 million people are living with diabetes, while an additional 136 million have prediabetes. The company also pointed to delays in initiating insulin therapy, stating that patients in India begin insulin treatment an average of seven to nine years after it becomes clinically necessary. Fear of injections, anticipated pain, and treatment costs are among the factors contributing to these delays.
The company estimates that approximately 6 million people in India are currently receiving insulin therapy and expects this number to increase to 9 million in the coming years, reflecting rising demand for insulin-based treatment.
Industry projections also indicate significant market growth. According to IMARC, India's insulin market is expected to expand from $660.5 million in 2025 to $916.4 million by 2034, driven by increasing diabetes prevalence associated with sedentary lifestyles, unhealthy dietary habits, and genetic susceptibility.
Awiqli, known generically as insulin icodec, received approval in the United States earlier this year and has also been authorized for use in the European Union and several other countries. With its launch in India, Novo Nordisk continues to expand the global availability of the once-weekly insulin therapy.
In the Indian market, Awiqli is expected to compete with established basal insulin products, including Lantus, as well as insulin glargine formulations marketed by domestic manufacturers such as Biocon, Eris Lifesciences, and Lupin.
The launch also comes as Novo Nordisk continues to strengthen its presence in India's expanding diabetes and obesity treatment markets, where it faces competition from Eli Lilly alongside an increasing number of Indian pharmaceutical companies developing similar therapies.
Next Story