A Research Study to Compare a New Weekly Insulin, Insulin Icodec, and an Available Daily Insulin, Insulin Degludec, Both in Combination With Mealtime Insulin in People With Type 1 Diabetes (ONWARDS 6)
Summary
This study compares insulin icodec (a new insulin) to insulin degludec (an insulin already available on the market) in people with type 1 diabetes. The study will look at how well insulin icodec taken weekly controls blood sugar compared to insulin degludec taken daily. Participants will either get insulin icodec that participants will have to inject once a week on the same day of the week, or insulin degludec that participants will have to inject once a day at the same time every day. Which treatment participants get is decided at random. Participants will also get a mealtime insulin. The insulin is injected with a needle in a skin fold in the thigh, upper arm or stomach. The study will last for about 1 year and 2 months. Participants will have 28 clinic visits and 28 phone calls with the study doctor. At 11 clinic visits participants will have blood samples taken. At 6 clinic visits participants cannot eat or drink (except for water) for 8 hours before the visit. Participants will be asked to wear a sensor that measures your blood sugar all the time. Participants will be asked to wear it for a total of 57 weeks (around 1 year). Women cannot take part if pregnant, breast-feeding or plan to become pregnant during the study period.
Timeline
- Start
- 2021-04-30
- Primary completion
- 2022-04-28
- Completion
- 2022-12-02
Publications
- Results Philis-Tsimikas A, Bajaj HS, Begtrup K, Cailleteau R, Gowda A, Lingvay I, Mathieu C, Russell-Jones D, Rosenstock J. Rationale and design of the phase 3a development programme (ONWARDS 1-6 trials) investigating once-weekly insulin icodec in diabetes. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2023 Feb;25(2):331-341. doi: 10.1111/dom.14871. Epub 2022 Oct 14.
- Mohan V, Kesavadev J, Murthy LS, Anil G, Chandrappa M, Kar S, Mishra S. Efficacy and Safety of Once-Weekly Insulin Icodec in Indian Participants with Diabetes: Results from ONWARDS 1, 4, and 6 Studies. Diabetes Ther. 2025 Nov;16(11):2193-2212. doi: 10.1007/s13300-025-01799-4. Epub 2025 Oct 6.
- Danne T, Engberg S, Irace C, Kjaersgaard MIS, Klonoff DC, Mathieu C, Kehlet Watt S, Russell-Jones D. Continuous Glucose Monitoring Metrics and Continuous Glucose Monitoring-Based Hypoglycemia, Including Duration, in Individuals with Type 1 Diabetes Switching to Once-Weekly Insulin Icodec: A Post Hoc Evaluation of ONWARDS 6. Diabetes Technol Ther. 2025 Dec;27(12):963-972. doi: 10.1177/15209156251359319. Epub 2025 Jul 18.
- Philis-Tsimikas A, Krogsdahl Bache J, Fu A, Kellerer M, Salvesen-Sykes K, Bain SC. Insights on Hospitalisations from the Phase 3a ONWARDS 1-6 Trials of Once-Weekly Insulin Icodec. Diabetes Ther. 2025 Aug;16(8):1615-1631. doi: 10.1007/s13300-025-01745-4. Epub 2025 Jun 4.
- Russell-Jones D, Babazono T, Cailleteau R, Engberg S, Irace C, Kjaersgaard MIS, Mathieu C, Rosenstock J, Woo V, Klonoff DC. Once-weekly insulin icodec versus once-daily insulin degludec as part of a basal-bolus regimen in individuals with type 1 diabetes (ONWARDS 6): a phase 3a, randomised, open-label, treat-to-target trial. Lancet. 2023 Nov 4;402(10413):1636-1647. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(23)02179-7. Epub 2023 Oct 17.
Drugs
| Evaluation | Drug | Modality | Dose | Route |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | Insulin icodec | Protein / enzyme biologic | — | Subcutaneous |
| Comparator | insulin degludec | Protein / enzyme biologic | — | Subcutaneous |
| Background | insulin aspart | Protein / enzyme biologic | — | Subcutaneous |