The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended a new once-weekly basal insulin injection for adults with type 2 diabetes.
The move could reduce the number of injections patients require each year by 85%.
Under final draft guidance, insulin efsitora alfa (branded as Onswik and manufactured by Eli Lilly) is recommended as a treatment option for adults managing type 2 diabetes.
The weekly formulation reduces administration requirements from 365 jabs to just 52 injections annually.
Clinical trial evidence shows that insulin efsitora alfa controls blood glucose levels as effectively as widely prescribed daily long-acting alternatives, such as insulin degludec and insulin glargine.
The reduced injection burden is anticipated to particularly benefit patients who rely on healthcare workers, carers, or family members for administration - including older or frailer individuals, people with dexterity limitations, visual impairments, or learning disabilities.
It is also expected to improve compliance among younger adults managing early-onset type 2 diabetes alongside work commitments.
Helen Knight, director of medicines evaluation at NICE, said, “Moving from daily injections to a single weekly dose could make a real difference to the day-to-day lives of people with type 2 diabetes, especially those who rely on a carer, family member or healthcare professional to help them inject.
“This recommendation is the result of rigorous, evidence-based decision making, striking a balance between the benefits to patients and the best use of limited NHS funding."
In the UK, an estimated 4.6 million people were living with diagnosed diabetes in 2023–24, with type 2 diabetes accounting for approximately 90% of cases.
NICE’s draft guidance specifies that clinicians and patients should collaboratively review suitable options and select the least expensive treatment that aligns with the individual's clinical needs, taking into account drug acquisition costs, dosage, and administration resources. The recommendation remains subject to regulatory marketing authorisation from the MHRA before being made routinely available across the NHS.
