Cipla launches inhalable insulin Afrezza in India

Cipla, a global leader in inhalation therapies, on Monday announced the launch of Afrezza, the world’s only rapid-acting inhaled insulin, in the Indian market.

The drug is indicated for adults with type 1 and type 2 diabetes to help control high blood sugar levels and marks a significant shift in insulin delivery in a country with a rapidly growing diabetes burden.

India is home to an estimated 10.1 crore people living with diabetes, of whom nearly 10–15 percent require insulin therapy.

However, treatment adherence remains a major challenge, with fewer than 40 percent of patients estimated to be on regular treatment. Market research firm IQVIA estimates the total number of insulin users in India at about 50.48 lakh.

Manufactured by Connecticut-based biopharmaceutical company MannKind Corporation, Afrezza was first launched in the United States in 2015. The drug received regulatory approval from India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) in December last year, clearing the way for its commercial rollout through Cipla.

DELIVERS INSULIN TO LUNGS FIRST

Afrezza is administered using single-use cartridges through a small inhaler device.

The process involves selecting the appropriate dose cartridge, loading it into the inhaler, inhaling the insulin, and then removing the cartridge.

Cipla said the therapy is typically initiated with the patient’s largest meal of the day and can be intensified as required.

By offering a needle-free and fast-acting alternative to mealtime insulin injections, the



therapy is designed to improve treatment adherence and enable quicker glycaemic control in adults with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Cipla said the differentiated delivery mechanism also addresses emotional and practical barriers that often cause patients to delay or discontinue insulin therapy—an issue healthcare experts have long flagged as a critical gap in diabetes management.

Achin Gupta, global chief operating officer at Cipla, said the company will also roll out a nationwide awareness initiative alongside the launch.

The campaign will focus on addressing fears around injections, complex treatment regimens, and social stigma through empathetic storytelling and structured patient-support programme.

A CONCEPT THAT STRUGGLED EARLIER

The launch also revives interest in inhaled insulin, a concept that struggled in the past. Pfizer’s Exubera, the first globally marketed inhalable insulin, was introduced in the US in 2006 but withdrawn within a year due to poor sales and concerns around its bulky inhaler and lack of insurance coverage.

There were also reports of potential safety concerns related to lung health.

Senior endocrinologists said Afrezza represents an important innovation milestone, noting that advances in inhaler design and drug-delivery technology may help overcome the limitations that hindered earlier products.

Afrezza uses MannKind’s Technosphere insulin technology, which enables rapid absorption of powdered insulin through the lungs into the bloodstream, offering a faster onset compared to traditional subcutaneous injections.