Novo Nordisk launches world’s first once-weekly basal insulin in India at Rs 3.71 per unit
July 09, 2026 | Thursday | News
First and only once-weekly basal insulin — a global innovation in diabetes therapy
Novo Nordisk India has 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.
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.
Insulin initiation in India is delayed by 7–9 years on average, driven by fear of injections, anticipation of pain, and cost concerns.
Awiqli is priced at Rs 261 per week for 70 units. Pens will be available in 2 volume variants- 1 ml and 3 ml. The MRP for 1 ml pen is Rs 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. The MRP for 3 ml pen is Rs 7833 (2100 insulin units).