There is news destined to change the lives of millions of diabetics across Europe for the better. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) in fact, it gave the green light to the first weekly insulin in the world. An authentic revolution, which promises to greatly simplify the management of a disease that is as widespread as it is challenging. But let's go in order.
A turning point awaited for over a century
EMA approval comes 101 years after the discovery of insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar levels and whose deficiency is the basis of diabetes. Until now, patients had to inject insulin every day, one to four times, for a total of at least 365 injections per year. A burdensome commitment, which required constant attention and could have a negative impact on the quality of life.
With the new weekly insulin, however, the number of administrations is drastically reduced: just 52 in one year. An epochal change, made possible thanks to the research work of Novo Nordisk, which developed an extended-release formulation capable of keeping sugar levels stable for an entire week. Below with the shares: after Ozempic (sold until very recently at outrageously high prices) this promises to be another incredible coup for the Danish pharmaceutical company.
Weekly insulin, benefits for patients (and the environment)
The advantages of this innovation are many and evident. First of all, the reduction in injections will significantly simplify the management of diabetes, promoting greater adherence to therapies and consequently better control of the disease. It is clear, fewer bites also mean less stress and inconvenience for patients, with a positive impact on their quality of life. But the benefits of weekly insulin don't stop there. The drug will also have positive effects on the environment (I'm not joking and it's not a negligible detail), with a significant reduction in CO2 emissions linked to the production and disposal of syringes and needles.
Weekly insulin, next steps
Naturally, the EMA's approval is only the first step in a process that will now have to involve the national regulatory authorities. In Italy, for example, the green light from the Italian Medicines Agency (Aifa) is awaited for the actual availability of the new drug in the territory.
But the medical community is hopeful. “The hope is that now the national regulatory bodies, starting with AIFA, will work to quickly guarantee the availability of this new drug,” declared the professor Riccardo Candido, president of the Association of Diabetologists. According to the expert, in fact, weekly insulin can really represent "a simpler and more effective treatment path with insulin, and therefore, ultimately, more health and a better quality of life for people with diabetes".
A milestone in the fight against diabetes
The approval of the world's first weekly insulin by the EMA constitutes a historic event in the fight against diabetes. A disease that, according to the most recent data, affects over 400 million people worldwide and which represents one of the main challenges for global health systems. With this therapeutic innovation, a new era opens in the management of diabetes, made of greater simplicity, better quality of life and more effectiveness in controlling the disease. A goal made possible by the commitment of scientific research and the innovation of the pharmaceutical industry, but above all a concrete hope for millions of patients around the world.
The road to the definitive cure for diabetes is (perhaps, I wouldn't bet on the opposite) still long, and every step forward represents a victory. Weekly insulin, without a doubt, is a giant leap.
