Abstract

THE NEW ONCE-WEEKLY BASAL INSULIN FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES: AWIQLI (INSULIN ICODEC)

Mr. Kunal Jain*, Mr. Ganesh Girase, Miss. Trupti Patil, Miss. Nivedita Patil, Mrs. Mrunal Pendharkar, Dr. Sunil Pawar

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder that often requires basal insulin therapy to achieve optimal glycaemic control as the disease progresses. Conventional basal insulin analogues require daily administration, which may reduce patient adherence and increase treatment burden. Awiqli® (insulin icodec-abae) is the first once-weekly basal insulin approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Its ultra-long duration of action is achieved through strong, reversible binding to serum albumin, allowing a stable release of insulin over seven days. This review summarizes the pharmacology, mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, dosing and administration, manufacturing process, clinical efficacy, safety profile, drug interactions, precautions, advantages, limitations, and future prospects of Awiqli. Clinical evidence from the ONWARDS trial programme demonstrated that once-weekly insulin icodec provides glycaemic control comparable or superior to once-daily basal insulin analogues while maintaining an overall acceptable safety profile, although careful monitoring for hypoglycaemia remains essential. The reduced injection frequency has the potential to improve treatment adherence, patient satisfaction, and quality of life. Overall, Awiqli represents an important advancement in basal insulin therapy and may transform the management of type 2 diabetes through a more convenient and patient-friendly dose regimen.

Keywords: Awiqli, Insulin Icodec, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Once-weekly Basal Insulin, Glycaemic Control, ONWARDS Trial, Pharmacokinetics.