Metabolic & Weight Management

Liraglutide

Liraglutide is a copy of the gut hormone GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) carrying a fatty-acid chain that keeps it circulating for about thirteen hours, long enough for one injection a day where the natural hormone lasts minutes. It is FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes as Victoza and, separately at a higher 3.0 mg dose, for chronic weight management. Its landmark trial has a good history: LEADER was mandated by regulators as a safety check and came back showing benefit. Across 9,340 adults followed a median of 3.8 years it met superiority on cardiovascular death, heart attack and stroke, 13.0 percent against 14.9 on placebo. Every citation on file for liraglutide is randomised.

Last updated 12 August 2026

Studied forGlycaemic control research · Weight management research · Cardiovascular outcome data

Evidence on fileFDA-approved · 4 randomised human trials

Strongest sourceLiraglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes (N Engl J Med 2016) (randomised human trial)

Mechanism

Acylated GLP-1 analogue that stimulates glucose-dependent insulin release, suppresses glucagon, delays gastric emptying, and reduces appetite.

Regulatory status

Approved by the FDA. Marketed as VICTOZA, LIRAGLUTIDE, XULTOPHY 100/3.6. Earliest approval 2010-01-25. Application NDA022341, BLA208583, ANDA214568, ANDA215245, ANDA215421, ANDA215503, ANDA217063, ANDA217234, ANDA217590, ANDA218115.

An approval grades as rung 1 on this site, because 21 CFR 314.126 requires adequate and well-controlled human investigations and one cannot be granted without them. It covers specific indications and doses, though, and does not transfer to other uses of the same molecule.

Reported effects

What sources associate with this compound. Reported categories, not outcomes we have graded — each would need its own citation and rung.

Glycaemic control research
Weight management research
Cardiovascular outcome data

Figures

Every figure below is replotted by this site from values published in the cited paper's text or tables — the numbers are the study's, the drawing is ours, and the evidence rung on each image is the rung of its source.

Weight loss by liraglutide dose at 20 weeks — dose-ranging trial — Liraglutide vs Placebo (reference) vs Orlistat 120 mg t.d.s. (reference), Mean weight loss (kg) by daily dose (mg) — Data: Astrup et al. 2009, Lancet (liraglutide dose-ranging) · n=564, 20 weeks. Placebo and orlistat are single published values drawn as flat reference lines, not dose-responses.

Weight loss at week 56 on liraglutide 3.0 mg — SCALE Obesity — Week 56, Mean weight loss (kg) by treatment — Data: Pi-Sunyer et al. 2015, NEJM (SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes) · n=3731 (2487 liraglutide, 1244 placebo). Mean ± SD as published: 8.4 ± 7.3 kg vs 2.8 ± 6.5 kg.

Cardiovascular and all-cause death — LEADER — Liraglutide vs Placebo, Participants with the event (%) by outcome — Data: Marso et al. 2016, NEJM (LEADER cardiovascular outcomes) · n=9340 with type 2 diabetes at high cardiovascular risk, median follow-up 3.8 years. Primary composite is cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction or nonfatal stroke; hazard ratio 0.87 (95% CI 0.78-0.97). Values as published in the abstract.

Dosing on file unverified

Start: 0.6 mg/day, titrate to 3.0 mg/day

Carried from a source that labels it unverified, and reproduced with that label attached. A record of what is reported, not a recommendation. No citation on this page establishes it.

What is circulated about this dose. One claim is recorded on this page with the page it was read from. Read what is circulated.

Half-life, storage & sport

Elimination half-life: approximately 13 hours (human, SC) — study. VICTOZA FDA prescribing information, section 12.3.
Storage: Reconstituted: Solution (not lyophilized). Unopened: 2-8C. After first use: 30 days at 15-30C or 2-8C. — source. FDA label, Victoza.
In sport (WADA 2026): Not prohibited. Approved medicine; not named in any prohibited class. the list

The half-life on file is 13 h, measured subcutaneously. On the schedule this record states — daily — each dose is still at 28% of its own peak when the next is given, so the doses overlap: the peaks build to 1.39× the first.

Dosed daily over 4 d, each dose normalised to the first peak.

The rise is not modelled and the axis is not a blood level. No absorption rate constant and no volume of distribution are on file, so each dose appears at full height the instant it is given, and the axis is percent of this compound's own peak.

Literature on file 5

human RCT
Liraglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes (N Engl J Med 2016) graded on: names a randomised controlled trial — the indexed publication type — “Randomized Controlled”
human RCT
NCT01179048: A Long-term, Multi-centre, International, Randomised Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Trial to Determine Liraglutide Effects on Cardiovascular Events graded on: a randomised trial — “Randomised Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Trial”
human RCT
Liraglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes (New England Journal of Medicine 2016, cited 6631x) graded on: names a randomised controlled trial — the indexed publication type — “Randomized Controlled”
human RCT
A Randomized, Controlled Trial of 3.0 mg of Liraglutide in Weight Management (New England Journal of Medicine 2015, cited 2393x) graded on: a randomised trial — “Randomized, Controlled Trial”
human RCT
FDA approval NDA022341, BLA208583, ANDA214568, ANDA215245, ANDA215421, ANDA215503, ANDA217063, ANDA217234, ANDA217590, ANDA218115 graded on: an FDA approval (NDA022341, BLA208583, ANDA214568, ANDA215245, ANDA215421, ANDA215503, ANDA217063, ANDA217234, ANDA217590, ANDA218115), which requires adequate and well-controlled human investigations — “NDA022341, BLA208583, ANDA214568, ANDA215245, ANDA215421, ANDA215503, ANDA217063, ANDA217234, ANDA217590, ANDA218115”

What is circulated not evidence 3

Claims passed around in community guides and vendor copy, recorded because they circulate — not because they are true. Each is shown with the page it was read from and what this record actually holds. Checked 2026-08-24.

unverified community data sourcing occasional nothing on file either way

Grey-market lyophilised liraglutide vials with home reconstitution (5 mg plus 2 mL BAC water, or 10 mg plus 2 mL) are circulated as an alternative to the pre-filled pen.

5 mg vial + 2 mL BAC water (2.5 mg/mL)

On the record Storage on file is the FDA Victoza label, which covers only the pre-filled solution; no stability or reconstitution record exists for lyophilised grey-market vials.

Source 1
unverified community data titration common nothing on file either way

The Saxenda escalation (0.6 mg to 3.0 mg over five weeks) is circulated intact on vendor pages, including an unlabelled intermediate 2.4 mg step.

Week 1: 0.6 mg daily / Week 2: 1.2 mg daily / Week 3: 1.8 mg daily / Week 4: 2.4 mg daily / Week 5+: 3.0 mg daily

On the record No dosing range is on file for liraglutide. The benefits on file are glycaemic control, weight management and cardiovascular outcome data.

Source 1
unverified community data stacking occasional nothing on file either way

Combining liraglutide with semaglutide or tirzepatide is circulated as redundant and higher-risk rather than additive.

Combining with other GLP-1 RAs (semaglutide, tirzepatide) is described as redundant — overlapping mechanisms and increased GI side effects.

On the record No combination record exists on file for GLP-1 receptor agonist pairs.

Source 1

Identity

Space-filling 3D model of Liraglutide, carbon grey, nitrogen blue, oxygen red — Built from the SMILES on this record — the atoms and bonds are exact. The shape is **one computed low-energy pose**, not a measured structure: a flexible peptide in solution has no single conformation, and where the SMILES leaves a stereocentre undefined the pose commits to one arbitrarily. The skeletal formula below claims connectivity and nothing more, which is what we actually know.

2D chemical structure of Liraglutide — Built from the SMILES on this record — the atoms and bonds are exact. The shape is **one computed low-energy pose**, not a measured structure: a flexible peptide in solution has no single conformation, and where the SMILES leaves a stereocentre undefined the pose commits to one arbitrarily. The skeletal formula below claims connectivity and nothing more, which is what we actually know.

Molecular weight: 3751
Molecular formula: C172H265N43O51
CAS number: 204656-20-2
PubChem CID: 16134956
UniProt: P43220 (Target)
InChI key: YSDQQAXHVYUZIW-QCIJIYAXSA-N
Sequence: HAEGTFTSDVSSYLEGQAAKEFIAWLVRGRG
SMILES: CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC(=O)N[C@@H](CCC(=O)NCCCC[C@@H](C(=O)N[C@@H](CCC(=O)O)C(=O)N[C@@H](CC1=CC=CC=C1)C(=O)N[C@@H]([C@@H](C)CC)C(=O)N[C@@H](C)C(=O)N[C@@H](CC2=CNC3=CC=CC=C32)C(=O)N[C@@H](CC(C)C)C(=O)N[C@@H](C(C)C)C(=O)N[C@@H](CCCNC(=N)N)C(=O)NCC(=O)N[C@@H](CCCNC(=N)N)C(=O)NCC(=O)O)NC(=O)[C@H](C)NC(=O)[C@H](C)NC(=O)[C@H](CCC(=O)N)NC(=O)CNC(=O)[C@H](CCC(=O)O)NC(=O)[C@H](CC(C)C)NC(=O)[C@H](CC4=CC=C(C=C4)O)NC(=O)[C@H](CO)NC(=O)[C@H](CO)NC(=O)[C@H](C(C)C)NC(=O)[C@H](CC(=O)O)NC(=O)[C@H](CO)NC(=O)[C@H]([C@@H](C)O)NC(=O)[C@H](CC5=CC=CC=C5)NC(=O)[C@H]([C@@H](C)O)NC(=O)CNC(=O)[C@H](CCC(=O)O)NC(=O)[C@H](C)NC(=O)[C@H](CC6=CN=CN6)N)C(=O)O
InChI: InChI=1S/C172H265N43O51/c1-18-20-21-22-23-24-25-26-27-28-29-30-37-53-129(224)195-116(170(265)266)59-64-128(223)180-68-41-40-50-111(153(248)199-115(62-67-135(232)233)154(249)204-120(73-100-44-33-31-34-45-100)159(254)214-140(93(11)19-2)167(262)192-97(15)146(241)201-122(76-103-79-183-108-49-39-38-48-106(103)108)157(252)203-118(72-90(5)6)158(253)212-138(91(7)8)165(260)200-110(52-43-70-182-172(177)178)149(244)184-81-130(225)193-109(51-42-69-181-171(175)176)148(243)187-84-137(236)237)196-144(239)95(13)189-143(238)94(12)191-152(247)114(58-63-127(174)222)194-131(226)82-185-151(246)113(61-66-134(230)231)198-155(250)117(71-89(3)4)202-156(251)119(75-102-54-56-105(221)57-55-102)205-162(257)124(85-216)208-164(259)126(87-218)209-166(261)139(92(9)10)213-161(256)123(78-136(234)235)206-163(258)125(86-217)210-169(264)142(99(17)220)215-160(255)121(74-101-46-35-32-36-47-101)207-168(263)141(98(16)219)211-132(227)83-186-150(245)112(60-65-133(228)229)197-145(240)96(14)190-147(242)107(173)77-104-80-179-88-188-104/h31-36,38-39,44-49,54-57,79-80,88-99,107,109-126,138-142,183,216-221H,18-30,37,40-43,50-53,58-78,81-87,173H2,1-17H3,(H2,174,222)(H,179,188)(H,180,223)(H,184,244)(H,185,246)(H,186,245)(H,187,243)(H,189,238)(H,190,242)(H,191,247)(H,192,262)(H,193,225)(H,194,226)(H,195,224)(H,196,239)(H,197,240)(H,198,250)(H,199,248)(H,200,260)(H,201,241)(H,202,251)(H,203,252)(H,204,249)(H,205,257)(H,206,258)(H,207,263)(H,208,259)(H,209,261)(H,210,264)(H,211,227)(H,212,253)(H,213,256)(H,214,254)(H,215,255)(H,228,229)(H,230,231)(H,232,233)(H,234,235)(H,236,237)(H,265,266)(H4,175,176,181)(H4,177,178,182)/t93-,94-,95-,96-,97-,98+,99+,107-,109-,110-,111-,112-,113-,114-,115-,116-,117-,118-,119-,120-,121-,122-,123-,124-,125-,126-,138-,139-,140-,141-,142-/m0/s1

Caveat on these identifiers

P43220 is the GLP-1 RECEPTOR, not the drug itself.

Notes unverified prose

FDA-approved; LEADER trial; PMID: 27295427; NCT01179048

Not on file 0

All 8 tracked fields hold a value on this record: molecular weight and formula, CAS number, PubChem CID, amino-acid sequence, SMILES, InChI and InChI key.

Counted from the record itself, not from what a source said it was missing. 163 of 188 records still have at least one empty.

Listed prices 13

What 5 shops we track listed for Liraglutide, read from their own public catalogues on 2026-09-14. We take no commission on these and they are not ranked by any payment — how vendors are scored.

Compare prices13 listings from 5 shops

Listed in USD
Vendor	Size	Price	Per mg
aminousa	5 mg	$51.00 USD ~~$85.00 USD~~	$10.20/mg
PureRawz ships worldwide	5 mg	$86.03 USD	$17.21/mg
Peptides Warehouse	6 mg	$123.59 USD	$20.60/mg
PureRawz ships worldwide	3 mg	$65.54 USD	$21.85/mg
PureRawz ships worldwide	3 mg	$73.12 USD	$24.37/mg
PureRawz ships worldwide	3 mg	$120.51 USD	$40.17/mg
PureRawz ships worldwide	1 mg	$43.88 USD	$43.88/mg
PureRawz ships worldwide	1 mg	$47.38 USD	$47.38/mg
PureRawz ships worldwide	1 mg	$53.82 USD	$53.82/mg
PureRawz ships worldwide	3 mg	$620.76 USD	$206.92/mg
PureRawz ships worldwide	1 mg	$304.80 USD	$304.80/mg

Listed in CAD
Vendor	Size	Price	Per mg
Peptide Shop Canada	10 mg	$77.05 CAD	$7.71/mg
Core Peptides Canada	3 mg	$62.88 CAD	$20.96/mg

Prices are the vendor's own listing, reproduced with the date we read it — never converted between currencies, and compared per milligram only where the vendor states the vial size.

At a glance

Strongest rung: human RCT
Citations: 5
Regulatory: FDA approved
Route: Subcutaneous
Declared gaps: 0

Running this

GLP-1 and incretin

How the class is run, with the source of every schedule beside it.

Citations by rung

human RCT5

Strongest wins, never an average.