Novo Nordisk has officially launched Awiqli (insulin icodec) in India — the world's first once-weekly basal insulin — targeting a country where over 101 million people live with diabetes. The drug cuts injections from 365 to just 52 per year and is priced competitively against daily insulin options. India is the seventh country to receive the launch.
Novo Nordisk has launched Awiqli (insulin icodec) in India, marking the country as the seventh global market to receive the world's first once-weekly basal insulin. Approved for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes in adults, Awiqli is designed to dramatically reduce injection burden — from 365 shots per year down to just 52. The launch comes as India grapples with one of the world's largest diabetes burdens, with over 101 million people living with the condition and another 136 million in the prediabetes zone.
Pricing was set with accessibility in mind: a once-weekly 70-unit dose costs 261 rupees (~$2.74), slightly cheaper than the 345–453 rupees charged for equivalent daily-dose basal insulins. Novo Nordisk noted that insulin initiation in India is delayed by an average of 7–9 years, partly due to injection anxiety and cost concerns — barriers the weekly format aims to address. The drug will compete with established brands like Sanofi's Lantus and domestic generics from Biocon, Eris Lifesciences, and Lupin.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: With insulin initiation chronically delayed in India, a once-weekly option could lower the psychological and logistical barriers to treatment — potentially improving outcomes for millions of under-treated diabetic patients in one of the world's fastest-growing insulin markets.
