Diabetics who are forced to inject themselves every day will be able to benefit in the coming weeks from the marketing of weekly insulin in Canada, a first in the world.
The Awiqli drug will be available in the country from June 30 after receiving authorization from Health Canada last March, its manufacturer Novo Nordisk, which is also behind Ozempic, announced on Monday.
Adults with type 1 and type 2 diabetes will be able to use this insulin which would replace daily injections.
Type 2 diabetes also entails significant economic costs since it is a progressive disease that requires intensification of treatment over time.
“By moving from daily insulin injections to a single injection per week, Awiqli® not only offers choice and convenience, but also ease for those who require basal insulin and need to begin treatment,” said Dr. Richard Dumas , endocrinologist at CISSS Laval, director of the Laval Clinical Research Center.
More than 4.1 million Canadians have diagnosed diabetes and may need to use daily injections to control their disease.
“Diabetes continues to impact hundreds of thousands of people in Quebec, which explains why research and innovation play an essential role in supporting the management of diabetes,” emphasized Sylvie Lauzon, president of Diabète Québec.
No indication on the price of this drug was specified in the press release. The Canadian Medicines Agency is, however, considering a recommendation for the drug to be reimbursed for type 2 diabetes, according to its website.
