Evidence mapPaperPMID 41492843Full record

ArticleDiabetes, obesity & metabolism2026

Once-weekly insulin icodec versus once-daily insulin degludec for type 2 diabetes in China: A cost-utility and budget impact analysis.

Xichen Tong, Yawen Zhang, Lei Zhang, Luying Zhang

Abstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in Diabetes, obesity & metabolism, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Xichen TongSchool of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.ORCID 0009-0007-8663-2656
Yawen ZhangDong Fureng Institute of Economic and Social Development, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Lei ZhangNovo Nordisk (China) Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Beijing, China.
Luying ZhangSchool of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 72374049Novo Nordisk (China) Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimsInsulin icodec, the first once-weekly basal insulin analogue, was approved in China in 2024. Although it has demonstrated robust clinical efficacy, its budget impact remains unknown, and the long-term cost-utility within the reimbursement context needs further estimates. This study evaluated the long-term cost-utility of once-weekly insulin icodec compared with once-daily insulin degludec in China. MATERIALS AND

methodsWe used the validated IHE Diabetes Cohort Model to simulate lifetime costs and health outcomes for insulin-naive Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes, based on the Chinese subgroup of the ONWARDS 3 trial. The model incorporated diabetes-related microvascular and macrovascular complications, with a 40-year time horizon and 5% annual discount rate. Costs and utilities were derived from the 2024 national reimbursement drug list, the national insulin volume-based procurement policy, and published literature, expressed in 2024 US dollars. Analyses were conducted from the Chinese healthcare system perspective. Robustness was assessed through one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses. A complementary budget impact analysis (BIA) estimated national-level financial implications under different reimbursement scenarios.

resultsCompared with degludec, icodec increased life expectancy by 0.025 years and yielded a gain of 0.216 quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), while reducing costs by $1450.73. One-way sensitivity analyses showed incremental QALYs ranging from 0.065 to 0.464 and cost savings from $ 265.84 to $4166.30. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis confirmed mean gains of 0.212 QALYs and cost reductions of $1320.46. The BIA estimates estimated annual savings of $1.17 million, $2.35 million, and $2.58 million in 2025, 2026, and 2027, following the reimbursement of icodec.

conclusionsWithin the current reimbursement context in China, once-weekly icodec is a dominant strategy compared with degludec, offering greater health benefits at a lower cost for patients with type 2 diabetes and generating potential annual savings.

Indexed as

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2Hypoglycemic AgentsInsulin, Long-ActingAdultAgedBudgetsChinaCost-Benefit AnalysisDrug Administration ScheduleFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedQuality-Adjusted Life YearsHypoglycemic Agentsinsulin degludecInsulin, Long-Actingcost‐effectivenesshealth economicsinsulin analoguespharmacoeconomicstype 2 diabetes

Identifiers

PMID41492843
PMCPMC12890746

What Socratic holds

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.