Insulin icodec
Insulin icodec, sold under the brand name Awiqli, is a medication used to treat diabetes. It is given once per week and its benefits are similar to long acting daily insulin.
It is an ultralong-acting basal insulin analogue that is developed by Novo Nordisk. It has a plasma half-life more than eight days, making it a once-weekly basal insulin.
Pharmacology
Like insulin, icodec is composed of two peptide chains linked by a disulfide bridge. However, a C20 fatty diacid-containing side chain has been added for strong, reversible albumin binding; and three amino acid substitutions provide molecular stability and attenuate insulin receptor binding and clearance. Together, these modifications prolong the half-life.Society and culture
Legal status
Insulin icodec was approved for medical use in Canada in March 2024.In March 2024, the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency adopted a positive opinion, recommending the granting of a marketing authorization for the medicinal product Awiqli, intended for the treatment of diabetes. The applicant for this medicinal product is Novo Nordisk A/S. Insulin icodec was approved for medical use in the European Union in May 2024.