The company described Awiqli as a transformative innovation designed to integrate insulin therapy more conveniently into patients' daily lives rather than offering only an incremental improvement over existing treatment options.
The global ONWARDS-1 clinical programme demonstrated that Awiqli achieved greater reductions in HbA1c levels and improved Time in Range compared with once-daily insulin glargine U100. The study also found that a higher proportion of people with Type 2 diabetes reached an HbA1c level below 7 percent without experiencing hypoglycaemia. In addition, improved Time in Range provided more consistent blood glucose control throughout the day.
Speaking at the product launch in New Delhi, Novo Nordisk India Managing Director Vikrant Shrotriya said a weekly dose of 70 insulin units of Awiqli will cost ₹261, equivalent to approximately .74. The insulin will be available in two variants, including a 1 ml prefilled pen containing 700 units priced at ₹2,611 and a 3 ml prefilled pen containing 2,100 units priced at ₹7,833.
Shrotriya stated that the pricing compares with ₹345 to ₹453 for 70 units of currently available once-daily basal insulin products. He also confirmed that Awiqli will be introduced across the Indian market next week.
According to Novo Nordisk, more than 101 million people in India are living with diabetes, while another 136 million people have prediabetes. The company noted that insulin therapy in India is typically initiated seven to nine years later than medically recommended because of concerns surrounding injections, anticipated pain, and treatment costs.
Describing the significance of the launch, Shrotriya said, "It is a modern therapy, and we are the seventh country to launch the injection."
Highlighting the benefits of the once-weekly treatment, he explained that conventional insulin therapies require people with diabetes to administer injections every day throughout their lives. This often discourages patients from beginning insulin therapy because they perceive the lifelong daily injections as burdensome. He said the once-weekly dosing schedule reduces one of the major barriers that causes many patients to delay or avoid insulin treatment.
Shrotriya further stated that nearly 6 million people in India are currently receiving insulin therapy. Novo Nordisk expects that figure to increase to approximately 9 million over the coming years, a trend that is also expected to support the company's business growth.
According to market research firm IMARC, the Indian insulin market is projected to grow from $660.5 million in 2025 to $916.4 million by 2034. The expansion is expected to be driven by the increasing prevalence of diabetes associated with sedentary lifestyles, unhealthy dietary habits, and genetic risk factors.
Novo Nordisk said Awiqli received regulatory approval in the United States earlier this year and has since secured approvals across the European Union and several other countries. With its launch in India, the country becomes the seventh globally to introduce the once-weekly basal insulin.
In the Indian market, Awiqli will compete with established basal insulin brands, including Sanofi's Lantus, as well as lower-priced insulin glargine products manufactured by Biocon, Eris Lifesciences, and Lupin. Beyond diabetes care, Novo Nordisk is also expanding its presence in India's rapidly growing obesity treatment market, where it faces competition from Eli Lilly and an increasing number of domestic generic pharmaceutical manufacturers.
The introduction of Awiqli represents a major milestone in diabetes management by offering a simplified insulin regimen that has the potential to improve treatment adherence while expanding therapeutic options for millions of people living with diabetes in India.
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