Stories
New Innovations and Generic Drugs Transform Diabetes Management in India
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Forbes India•19-10-2026, 11:00
New Innovations and Generic Drugs Transform Diabetes Management in India
- •India is home to 90 million people living with diabetes as of 2024, ranking second globally behind China and making it a key market for pharmaceutical advancements.
- •Novo Nordisk introduced Awiqly, a once-a-week basal insulin in India, reducing the requirement for annual injections from 365 to 52 to ease patient adoption.
- •The expiration of semaglutide patents has reduced generic drug prices significantly, making advanced GLP-1 treatments much more accessible and affordable.
- •Treatment approaches are shifting from isolated diabetes care to holistic metabolic care, integrating management for cardiovascular risks, kidney disease, and obesity.
- •Indian firms and startups are advancing local manufacturing of low-cost insulin pens, insulin pumps, and continuous glucose monitoring sensors.
Key Questions Answered
According to a study published in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology journal, India is home to 90 million people living with diabetes as of 2024, ranking second in the world behind China.
Awiqly is engineered by substituting three amino acids and adding an ultra-long fatty side chain to human insulin that binds to albumin, making it last much longer. It reduces annual injections from 365 to 52 and costs about Rs 2,611 for a 700-unit pen, averaging around Rs 261 per week.
Following the patent expiration for semaglutide drugs in March 2026, the prices of generic semaglutide dropped significantly to between Rs 1,290 and Rs 1,800 per month, increasing accessibility and affordability.
