Liraglutide
GLP-1 receptor agonist
Also Victoza, Saxenda, Xultophy (component), NN2211, Liraglutide injection, Generic liraglutide
- Evidence
- AStrong human evidence
- FDA status
- FDA approvedas of 2026-10-27
- Route
- Injection
- Studies cited
- 3 human0 animal or cell
It is a daily injection for type 2 diabetes and for weight loss. Large trials of 9,340 and 3,731 people showed fewer heart problems and about 8% weight loss.
Sold for
Liraglutide was the first daily GLP-1 drug to be approved for weight loss and is now marketed as the cheaper generic alternative to semaglutide for people who want a GLP-1 but cannot get or afford the newer ones.
Studies say
Trials in nearly 10,000 diabetic patients and 3,700 adults with obesity showed fewer heart events and about 8 percent body weight loss respectively, which earns an A for both approved uses.
Why grade A. Both uses rest on large randomized placebo-controlled trials: LEADER (9,340 patients with type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular outcomes) and the SCALE obesity trial (3,731 adults, 56 weeks of weight loss). Multiple other phase 3 trials sit behind the labels. What the citations do not cover is how liraglutide compares with the newer weekly GLP-1 drugs, which outperform it on weight. 46
FDA. Approved. Liraglutide is sold as Victoza (approved 2010) for type 2 diabetes in adults and children aged 10 and older and to reduce major cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and as Saxenda (approved 2014) for chronic weight management in adults and adolescents aged 12 and older. Generic liraglutide for both indications has been approved since December 2024 and August 2025. 125
Written from 7 cited sources. Fact-checked 2026-10-27: 20 claims checked, 0 corrected. Last refreshed 2026-10-27. Not physician reviewed.
What this means for you
- What people take it for
- Type 2 diabetes, weight loss, heart protection
- Can a US doctor prescribe it?
- Yes, FDA approved for type 2 diabetes and for long-term weight management.
- Properly tested in people?
- Yes, in large controlled trials of 9,340 and 3,731 people.
Evidence checklist
- Randomised controlled trial LEADER and SCALE, placebo-controlledyes
- Human study over 100 people LEADER 9,340; SCALE 3,731yes
- More than one research group Multiple phase 3 trials behind both labelsyes
- Clinical outcomes, not surrogate markers LEADER: fewer heart attacks, strokes, deathsyes
- Human safety data beyond case reports Years of trial data; boxed thyroid warningyes
Drawn from the cited studies below. A dash means the sources give no information.
What it is
Liraglutide is an altered form of human glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), a gut hormone released after meals. One amino acid is swapped and a fatty acid chain is added. This lets the molecule bind albumin in the blood. It lasts about 13 hours, instead of the two minutes of the natural hormone. Novo Nordisk developed it as the first long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist fit for a daily shot. 13
Two brands have different approved uses. Victoza is for type 2 diabetes. Since 2017 it is also for cutting heart attack, stroke and heart death in diabetic adults with established heart disease. Saxenda is a higher dose for long-term weight control, alongside diet and exercise. Both are now also approved for teens, and generics of each exist. 125
How it works
Liraglutide activates the GLP-1 receptor. In the pancreas, this boosts insulin release when glucose is high and suppresses glucagon. So blood sugar falls, with little risk of low blood sugar on its own. It also slows stomach emptying. 1
The weight effect comes mostly from the brain. GLP-1 receptors in the hypothalamus and brainstem control appetite. Liraglutide cuts hunger and adds fullness, so people eat less. The Saxenda label calls this action on appetite centers the proposed basis for weight loss. 5
What human research shows
LEADER randomized 9,340 adults with type 2 diabetes at high heart risk to liraglutide or placebo. It followed them for a median of 3.8 years. Heart death, heart attack or stroke occurred in 13.0 percent on liraglutide and 14.9 percent on placebo. That is a 13 percent relative cut. Heart death alone fell 22 percent. This trial is the basis for the heart-risk approved use. 4
The SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes trial randomized 3,731 adults without diabetes to liraglutide or placebo for 56 weeks, with lifestyle coaching. Average weight loss was 8.0 percent on liraglutide and 2.6 percent on placebo. In all, 63 percent versus 27 percent lost at least 5 percent of their weight. 6
A blinded randomized trial from Uppsala asked if liraglutide could save the remaining insulin-making cells. It enrolled 18 adults who had had type 1 diabetes for at least five years and still had detectable C-peptide. After 52 weeks, stimulated C-peptide did not differ from placebo. An exploratory analysis to week 65 found a steeper decline on liraglutide, with rising insulin needs. The trial is small, and the decline signal came from a post hoc look. Still, the result argues against liraglutide as a beta-cell protector in long-standing type 1 diabetes. 7
| Study | Model | Finding |
|---|---|---|
| LEADER (Marso 2016) | Humans, n=9,340 with type 2 diabetes, randomized double-blind placebo-controlled, median 3.8 years | Major cardiovascular events fell from 14.9 to 13.0 percent and cardiovascular death fell 22 percent with liraglutide. 4 |
| SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes (Pi-Sunyer 2015) | Humans, n=3,731 adults with obesity, randomized double-blind placebo-controlled, 56 weeks | 8.0 percent mean weight loss on liraglutide versus 2.6 percent on placebo. 6 |
| Victoza prescribing information | FDA label (2025 revision) | Glycemic lowering in adults and children aged 10 and older, cardiovascular risk reduction, boxed thyroid C-cell warning. 1 |
| Uppsala type 1 diabetes trial (2026) | Humans, n=18 adults with long-standing type 1 diabetes, randomized blinded placebo-controlled, 52 weeks | No preservation of stimulated C-peptide; exploratory analysis suggested a faster decline on liraglutide. 7 |
Safety
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation are the most common side effects. They are the main reason people stop. In SCALE, stomach and gut events were the leading cause of quitting. Gallbladder disease, pancreatitis and a faster heart rate are listed warnings. 56
Both labels carry a boxed warning about thyroid C-cell tumors seen in rodents. People with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2 must not use it. After more than a decade of use, it is still unknown whether the rodent finding applies to humans. Low blood sugar becomes a worry when liraglutide is combined with insulin or sulfonylureas. 15
Questions for your clinician
- How does liraglutide compare with newer weekly GLP-1 drugs for my goals?
- What should I know about the thyroid tumor warning given my family history?
- What helps if nausea becomes a reason to stop?
Questions people ask
Is liraglutide the same as semaglutide?
Both are GLP-1 receptor agonists from Novo Nordisk. But liraglutide is a daily shot, and in trials it gave less weight loss than weekly semaglutide. Liraglutide has been generic since 2024, so it is the lower-cost choice. 23
What is the difference between Victoza and Saxenda?
Same molecule, different doses and approved uses. Victoza is labeled for type 2 diabetes and lowering heart risk. Saxenda is labeled for long-term weight control. 15
How much weight do people lose on liraglutide?
In the largest trial, 3,731 adults lost an average of 8 percent of body weight over 56 weeks. On placebo they lost 2.6 percent, with the same diet and exercise advice. 6
Does liraglutide protect the heart?
In LEADER, 9,340 diabetic patients at high risk had 13 percent fewer major heart events over about four years. That result applies to people with type 2 diabetes and heart disease, the group studied. 4
What is the thyroid warning about?
Liraglutide caused thyroid C-cell tumors in rats and mice. It is unknown if this matters for humans. So the label bars its use in people with a history of medullary thyroid cancer or MEN 2. 1
Citations
- FDA 2025: Victoza (liraglutide) prescribing information accessdata.fda.gov
- Drugs.com: Liraglutide monograph and generic availability drugs.com
- 2025, Pharmacological Research: Review of liraglutide development and pharmacology sciencedirect.com
- Marso 2016, NEJM: Liraglutide and cardiovascular outcomes in type 2 diabetes (LEADER) doi.org
- FDA 2025: Saxenda (liraglutide) prescribing information accessdata.fda.gov
- Pi-Sunyer 2015, NEJM: A randomized controlled trial of liraglutide for weight management (SCALE) doi.org
- Caballero-Corbalán 2026, Diabetes Obes Metab: liraglutide and beta-cell function in long-standing type 1 diabetes, blinded randomized trial pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Updates
- 2026-10-27 added blinded RCT in 18 adults with long-standing type 1 diabetes, no C-peptide preservation and a possible faster decline (PMID 42595732) to human findings and key studies.