Novo Nordisk India launches Awiqli – world’s first once-weekly basal insulin

Novo Nordisk India announced the launch of Awiqli (insulin icodec) in India — the world’s first once-weekly basal insulin, for adults with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Available in the Indian market from 10 July 2026 onwards, Awiqli is set to fundamentally transform the insulin regimen for people with diabetes – from a once-daily routine to a once-weekly injection, thereby reducing the annual injection burden from 365 to just 52. This is not just an incremental update — it is a fundamental reimagination of how insulin fits into people’s lives.

In the ONWARDS-1 clinical programme, Awiqli achieved superior HbA1c reduction and time in range compared with once-daily glargine U100. More people with type 2 diabetes reached an HbA1c below 7% without hypoglycaemia. Time in Range — an increasingly important complement to HbA1c — was also significantly increased with Awiqli, giving patients better control through the day.

Vikrant Shrotriya, Managing Director, Novo Nordisk India, said: “The launch of Awiqli is a defining moment for diabetes care in India. For more than a century, Novo Nordisk has pursued one ambition: to make insulin therapy simpler, safer and more accessible for patients. Once-weekly dosing has long been an aspiration in our field. Today, it is a reality for India. We believe Awiqli will reduce the psychological and physical barriers to insulin initiation — and ultimately help more people achieve better control and a better quality of life.”

Dr SK Wangnoo, Senior Consultant Endocrinologist and Diabetologist, Apollo Centre for Obesity, Diabetes & Endocrinology (ACODE), Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi said: “Insulin remains the cornerstone of diabetes management for many patients, yet delayed initiation and non-adherence continue to undermine outcomes in clinical practice. Innovations that meaningfully simplify the treatment experience have the potential to change patient behaviour. A once-weekly basal insulin could reduce the apprehension around starting insulin and help clinicians have more productive conversations about timely treatment.”

India’s diabetes landscape: An urgent call for solutions

India is at the epicentre of the global diabetes epidemic. The scale of the problem — and the barriers to managing it — make Awiqli’s arrival particularly timely.

•   Over 101 million people in India live with diabetes – one of the highest burdens globally.
•   An additional 136 million have prediabetes – representing a massive population at risk.
•   The NFHS-6 (2023-24) survey confirms a sharp rise in blood sugar levels across both urban and rural India:

–    20.9% of men aged 15+ have high blood sugar or are on diabetes medication – up from 15.6% during NFHS-5 (2019-21)

–    17.8% of women aged 15+ have high blood sugar or are on medication – up from 13.5% during NFHS-5 (2019-21)

•   Insulin initiation in India is delayed by 7–9 years on average, driven by fear of injections, anticipation of pain, and cost concerns.

The barriers to insulin therapy in India span both patient and physician perspectives:

•   Patient-side: fear of injections, anticipated pain, cost sensitivity, treatment complexity
•   Physician-side: risk of adverse effects (hypoglycaemia, weight gain), complex titration regimens, and concerns about patient adherence

As type 2 diabetes progresses, insulin therapy becomes clinically necessary — yet the perceived burden of daily injections creates resistance. Awiqli directly addresses this resistance. With once-weekly dosing, robust clinical evidence, and the convenience of Novo Nordisk’s FlexTouch’s device, Awiqli has the potential to change the conversation around insulin — from one of avoidance to one of confidence.

Awiqli Pricing:

INR 261 per week for 70 units.

Pens to be available in 2 volume variants- 1 ml and 3 ml

MRP for 1 ml pen is INR 2611 (700 insulin units). This is one pen with 700 units. With 70 units weekly, the pen can last 10 weeks or 2.5 months.

MRP for 3 ml pen is INR 7833 (2100 insulin units)