Denmark-based Novo Nordisk on Thursday launched its weekly basal insulin injection, Awiqli, in India, one of the countries with the highest diabetes rates in the world.
The company says that Awiqli is the world’s first once-weekly basal, or background long-acting, insulin approved for clinical use and will be indicated for type 1 and type 2 diabetes in adults, potentially facing rivalry from existing daily dose options in the market.
In India, over 101 million people live with diabetes and an additional 136 million have prediabetes, according to Novo Nordisk.
Insulin initiation in India is often delayed by an average of 7-9 years due to the fear of injections, perceived pain, and cost, the company added.
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Novo Nordisk India Managing Director Vikrant Shrotriya said, “We believe Awiqli will reduce the psychological and physical barriers to insulin initiation.”
He alsocsaid the company is launching Awiqli in two pen presentations, 700 units and 2,100 units, priced at Rs 3.73 per unit.
Instead of a daily basal insulin injection, usually administered every 24 hours, Awiqli is formulated to give background insulin support all through the week, cutting down annual injections from 365 to 52.
According to IMARC, the Indian insulin market is forecast to increase from $660.5 million in 2025 to $916.4 million by 2034, as more individuals get diabetes due to changing lifestyles, dietary patterns and predisposition.
Awiqli, generic name insulin icodec, offered in a pen device, received regulatory approval in the United States earlier this year and has already been launched in the European Union and several other countries.
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The drug will be facing competition in India from other basal insulin brands, such as Sanofi's Lantus and low-cost insulin glargine products offered by local companies such as Biocon, Eris Lifesciences and Lupin.
Separately, Novo Nordisk is also in a race with Eli Lilly and numerous Indian generic manufacturers in the growing obesity drug market in the nation.
