FDA Approves First Once-Weekly Insulin for Children

The FDA has approved Novo Nordisk's Awiqli as the first once-weekly, long-acting basal insulin for children, according to Becker's Hospital Review. The drug, insulin icodec-abae injection at 700 units per milliliter, is cleared for children 10 and older with Type 2 diabetes as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control, per an Oct. 23 release from Novo Nordisk.

The practical shift is dosing frequency. A once-weekly injection replaces daily basal insulin, taking a pediatric patient from 365 shots a year to 52. Fewer injections can ease adherence, a persistent challenge in managing diabetes in children and adolescents.

The approval reflects a broader push toward less frequent dosing in chronic disease care, following the arc set by weekly GLP-1 therapies. For clinicians and payers, the question now turns to coverage, pricing, and how a simplified regimen affects real-world adherence and outcomes in a growing pediatric Type 2 diabetes population.