Liraglutide (Victoza®)
Drug class: GLP-1 RA
Mechanism of Action
Liraglutide is a human GLP-1 analogue that activates GLP-1 receptors, enhancing glucose-dependent insulin secretion, suppressing glucagon secretion, slowing gastric emptying, and reducing appetite. This results in improved glycemic control (1).
Approved Indications
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (1)
Cardiovascular risk reduction (1)
Dosage and Administration
Initial: 0.6 mg SC once daily for 1 week. Increase to 1.2 mg once daily, up to 1.8 mg/day if needed
Administer SC in the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm, regardless of meals (1)
Key clinical benefits
Improves glycemic control (1)
Provides modest weight reduction (1)
Reduces the risk of MACE and cardiovascular death in adults with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease (1)
Key clinical trials
LEADER
In this randomized Phase 3b cardiovascular outcomes trial involving 9,340 patients with type 2 diabetes and high cardiovascular risk, liraglutide was compared with placebo over a median follow-up of 3.8 years. The primary endpoint was the first occurrence of cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke. The primary endpoint occurred in 13.0% versus 14.9% of patients (HR 0.87; 95% CI 0.78–0.97; P=0.01 for superiority). Cardiovascular death was also reduced (4.7% vs. 6.0%; HR 0.78), as was all-cause mortality (8.2% vs. 9.6%; HR 0.85; 95% CI, 0.74 to 0.97; P=0.02) (2).
LEADER Renal Outcomes
In this prespecified secondary analysis of the Phase 3b LEADER trial involving 9,340 patients, liraglutide reduced the composite renal outcome compared with placebo (5.7% vs. 7.2%; HR 0.78; 95% CI 0.67–0.92; P=0.003), with the benefit driven primarily by a reduction in new-onset persistent macroalbuminuria (3).
LEAD-6
In this randomized Phase 3 trial involving 464 patients, liraglutide 1.8 mg once daily produced a significantly greater reduction in HbA1c than exenatide 10 μg twice daily (−1.12% vs. −0.79%; P<0.0001), with more patients achieving HbA1c <7% (54% vs. 43%; P=0.0015). Fasting plasma glucose reduction was also greater with liraglutide (−1.61 vs. −0.60 mmol/L; P<0.0001), while weight loss was similar (−3.24 vs. −2.87 kg). Liraglutide was well tolerated, with less persistent nausea and fewer minor hypoglycemic events than exenatide (4).
Common Adverse Events
Nausea (1)
Diarrhea (1)
Vomiting (1)
Decreased appetite (1)
Constipation (1)
Immunogenicity-related reactions, including urticarial (1)
Contraindications/Precautions
Personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (1)
Risk of pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, and acute kidney injury (1)
Hypoglycemia: Increased risk with insulin or insulin secretagogues (1)
Avoid with serious hypersensitivity to liraglutide or its components (1)
Special notes for the clinician
Monitor blood glucose/HbA1c and educate on pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, and thyroid C-cell tumor risks (1)
Administer once daily, regardless of meals (1)
Do not combine with other liraglutide products or GLP-1 receptor agonists (1)
Abbreviations
CI: confidence interval; GLP-1: glucagon-like peptide-1; GLP-1 RA: glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist; HbA1c: glycated hemoglobin; HR: hazard ratio; MACE: major adverse cardiovascular events; SC: subcutaneous.
References
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. VICTOZA® (liraglutide) Prescribing Information. Available at https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2025/022341s044lbl.pdf
Accessed on 10 September, 2026.
Marso SP, Daniels GH, Brown-Frandsen K, et al. Liraglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2016;375:311–322.
Mann JFE, Ørsted DD, Brown-Frandsen K, et al. Liraglutide and Renal Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2017;377:839–848.
Buse JB, Rosenstock J, Sesti G, et al. Liraglutide once a day versus exenatide twice a day for type 2 diabetes: a 26-week randomised, parallel-group, multinational, open-label trial (LEAD-6). Lancet. 2009;374(9683):39–47.
About the Author
Ramesh Mylapilli is the Founder & Managing Director of Crixus Health, with over 23 years of expertise in medical communications. Beginning as a medical writer, he has evolved into a seasoned leader across India and the Asia‑Pacific, consistently transforming complex science into clear, impactful communication for healthcare stakeholders. He is also the Founder of MedWriters, a platform that mentors and empowers aspiring medical writers through structured programs in medico‑marketing deliverables and scientific manuscripts. By combining writing excellence with leadership, Ramesh continues to champion innovation, education, and the advancement of medical communications.
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