RECENT ADVANCES IN THE PHARMACEUTICAL MANAGEMENT OF DIABETES MELLITUS: EMERGING THERAPIES AND THE ROLE OF ONCE-WEEKLY INSULIN ICODEC (AWIQLI)

Diabetes mellitus, a multifaceted metabolic disorder, has emerged as a paramount global health concern, affecting over 463 million individuals worldwide. Diabetes causes serious consequences, such as retinopathy, nephropathy, and cardiovascular illnesses. It is characterized by persistent hyperglycemia brought on by either inadequate insulin secretion, impaired insulin action, or both. Consequently, scientists and or researchers will continue to find novel, safe, effective and affordable anti-diabetic medications. The goal of this review is to provide a through overview of the role that lifestyle changes play in managing diabetes, as well as day to day foods manage in diabetes mellitus. There are three types of 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and Type 2 diabetes mellitus and gestational diabetes. In this condition Conventional insulin therapy generally requires daily injections, which may reduce treatment adherence in some patients. Traditional treatment includes metformin, sulfonylureas, thiazolidinedione’s, DPP-4 inhibitors, SGLT2 inhibitors, GLP-1 receptor agonists and insulin preparations. One of the important recent advances is insulin icodec, marketed as Awiqli, a long-acting basal insulin designed for once-weekly administration. Clinical studies have demonstrated that once-weekly insulin icodec can provide glycemic control comparable to commonly used once-daily basal insulins in adults with diabetes. Meta-analyses have also reported effective HbA1c reduction and similar overall safety compared with daily basal insulin, although hypoglycemia and other adverse effects remain important considerations. Awiqli (insulin icodec) was authorized in the European Union in 2024 and received US FDA approval on March 26, 2026, for improving glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.