Novo Nordisk Launches Weekly Insulin Shot in India at Rs 261 Per Week, Aiming to Boost Patient Compliance
Pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk has launched a once-weekly insulin injection called Awiqli (insulin icodec) in India, priced at Rs 261 per week. The company hopes this convenience will encourage more diabetes patients to switch to insulin therapy, which many resist due to the fear of daily injections.
According to Dr SK Wangnoo, a senior endocrinologist at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in New Delhi, many patients express reluctance to start insulin despite its necessity. 'Those living with diabetes for eight to ten years, with pills unable to control blood glucose levels, need to take insulin injections to prevent complications. Yet most are unwilling. Around 93% of people wish for diabetes control without insulin, and this mindset needs to change,' he said.
The current cost of weekly insulin therapy with Awiqli is lower than that of daily insulin analogues, which range from Rs 345 to Rs 453 per week. Vikrant Shrotriya, managing director of Novo Nordisk India, said, 'The Rs 261 per week cost is cheaper than the current price of other insulin analogues. This drug will essentially cost around Rs 50 a day.' The medicine is available in pre-filled pens: a 700-unit/ml pen costs Rs 2,611, and a 2,100-unit/ml pen costs Rs 7,883. Most patients require about 70 units per week, which may be adjusted based on individual needs.
Shrotriya added that the company aims to help reduce the average HbA1c level (a measure of blood glucose over three months) from 8 to 7 in India through better diabetes management.
The most common side effect is hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), which occurs in about one in ten users. Dr Wangnoo noted that this rate is similar to that of daily insulin injections. In type-1 diabetes patients, hypoglycemic events are more frequent with weekly insulin than with daily insulin, often due to a mismatch between insulin dose and calorie intake. Type-1 patients must continue using fast-acting insulin before meals but can replace their daily long-acting insulin with the weekly shot, reducing the number of injections.
Currently, about six million people in India use insulin, but the company estimates the number should be at least double. The once-weekly formulation is expected to help more patients adopt insulin therapy early, potentially preventing organ damage, nerve damage, and eye complications.
