Novo Nordisk announced the nationwide launch of Awiqli (insulin icodec-abae), making it the first and only basal insulin administered once a week in the U.S. and that is now available at more than 70,000 retail pharmacies. The rollout follows the drug's FDA approval in March for adults with type 2 diabetes, and it means eligible patients can now pick up a prescription without relying on a limited specialty pharmacy network. If you want to catch up on where insulin innovation is headed, we dove into it on our podcast episode The Future of Insulin.

Awiqli is delivered through the prefilled FlexTouch pen and is meant to be used with diet and exercise to improve blood sugar control. For patients who struggle to keep up with daily injections, reducing it to once a week could make it easier to stick with a basal insulin routine long term. Awiqli is also approved in the EU and 13 additional countries, making the U.S. launch part of a wider global rollout.

To help with cost, Novo Nordisk is offering affordability programs through its website, where eligible patients can pay as little as $35 a month.