Insulin Icodec: A Silver Lining to the Diabetic Cloud

Abstract

Adequate glycaemic control is the sole way to circumvent the microvascular and macrovascular complications of diabetes mellitus. Currently, available treatment options include oral hypoglycaemic agents and insulin. Oral antidiabetic drugs are often limited in their efficacy to reduce HbA1c beyond 1-2%. It is insulin alone that can reduce HbA1c exceptionally and keep it near normal. The benchmark route of insulin administration is subcutaneous injections. However, subcutaneous insulin administration accompanies issues like pain at injection site, needle phobia, lipodystrophy, peripheral hyperinsulinemia and consequently medication non-adherence. To overcome this hurdle there has been ongoing research for basal longer acting insulins. However, these basal insulins necessitate at least one daily injection. If somehow, a basal insulin could be injected just once a week, it is logical to anticipate that this would augment medication compliance, enhance patients’ quality of life, granted that it involves minimal risk of hypoglycaemia. Insulin icodec is a novel once-a week, subcutaneously administered insulin for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Pre-clinical as well as clinical data from all six ONWARDS trials have met their primary endpoints. If approved, insulin icodec would be the first and only once-weekly basal insulin option for individuals with diabetes, filling the lacunae created by currently available basal insulins.

International Journal of Human and Health Sciences Vol. 08 No. 01 Jan’24 Page: 15-21