Insulin is the cornerstone of diabetes treatment. And now, instead of daily insulin doses, Indians can get vaccinated once a week, once it is approved.

Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, maker of the blockbuster weight-loss drug Ozempic, is offering a weekly insulin injection called Insulin Icodec, an advanced step in diabetes treatment.

Although the drug has been approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), it is close to being approved by the Subject Expert Committee (SEC) under India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).

Novo Nordisk is making the drug available in various formulations, including 700 U/mL (units per milliliter), 1,050 U/1.5 mL, and 2,100 U/3 mL.

All about the weekly insulin jab

Insulin injections are needed in diabetes treatment as they help control blood sugar levels. In diabetes, the body either cannot produce enough insulin or cannot use it effectively.

Injecting insulin helps maintain proper glucose levels, which can prevent complications such as nerve damage, kidney failure, and cardiovascular problems.

The insulin isodec molecule is a modified version of human insulin, with a half-life of about 7 days.

It contains three amino acid changes that make it more stable, reduce its breakdown by enzymes, and decrease its clearance by receptors.

According to Novo Nordisk, “Insulin Icodec is formulated as 700 units/mL to ensure that the injection volume is similar to that of once-daily basal insulin.”

According to the company, it is “designed to be injected under the skin once a week, with an easy-to-use pen and optional digital support for personalized automated dosing guidance.”

A clinical trial conducted in 2023 showed that for people with type 2 diabetes who have never used insulin before, taking Icodec once a week reduced their HbA1c more than taking Degludec (a diabetes drug) once a day after 26 weeks.

Insulin given once a week is injected under the skin. Although insulin is given for a week at a time, most of it binds to a blood protein called albumin, forming an inactive storage.

The insulin is then slowly released from the albumin, effectively lowering blood sugar levels over a week.

Know about diabetes in India

India is known as the diabetes capital of the world, with over 100 million people suffering from diabetes.

This non-communicable disease (NCD) has set off alarm bells among health experts and official bodies.

This is a condition in which the body cannot use or produce insulin properly, causing blood sugar levels to rise. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that helps control blood sugar levels by allowing cells to absorb glucose from the bloodstream for energy or storage.

There are three main types: type 1 (where the body doesn’t make insulin), type 2 (where the body doesn’t use insulin properly) and gestational diabetes, which occurs during pregnancy.

Type 2 diabetes is most common in India, mainly due to lifestyle factors and genetic predisposition.