Onswik Is Only Approved for Adults With Type 2 Diabetes
The FDA’s approval of Onswik only includes adults with type 2 diabetes. The drug is not approved for children or adults with type 1 diabetes. The medication is not recommended for patients with type 1 diabetes due to a higher risk of severe hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar.
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This FDA Approval Can Help More Patients, According to Doctors
“Many patients are hesitant to start daily insulin injections,” says John Aurora, CDCES, PharmD, a clinical pharmacist and a diabetes educator at Tufts Medical Center in Boston.
“A weekly injection can be less intimidating and easier to do.”
Shifting injections to a weekly instead of daily schedule helps to ease some of the challenges for patients that come with injectable insulin, Dr. Alan says. “These can include — but are not limited to — things like injecting insulin while having a fear of needles, pain and bruising after injections, and storage issues, since insulin storage requires having refrigeration available,” she says.
People are also more likely to stick with an injectable medication when it’s weekly versus daily, Alan says. “That can improve clinical outcomes,” she says. “In this case, patients would likely see better control of their type 2 diabetes, which could look like preserving their kidney function and eyesight down the road.”
When Will Onswik Be Available and Will It Be Covered by Insurance?
The drug’s maker, Eli Lilly, shared in a press release that Onswik will be available in the United States “in the coming months” in two concentrations: 500 units per milliliter (mL) and 1,000 units/mL.
It’s unclear what having another option for a weekly insulin shot will do for affordability. “Depending on insurance coverage, it may or may not be more affordable” to use a weekly insulin injection like Onswik instead of daily shots, Alan says.
