Liraglutide in oral antidiabetic drug combination therapy

The glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist liraglutide is indicated as an add-on to oral antidiabetic drug regimens in subjects with type 2 diabetes. Herein, the results of clinical trials assessing the efficacy, safety and tolerability of liraglutide when used in combination with either one or two oral antidiabetic therapies are summarised, then contrasted with the effects of exenatide and dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP-4) inhibitors. GLP-1 receptor agonists lead to effective glycaemic control when used as combination therapy with either one or two oral antidiabetic agents, and may confer overall benefits in weight loss and blood pressure in some subjects. These agents are well tolerated; the most commonly reported adverse effect is mild-to-moderate gastrointestinal symptoms, which are usually transient. Rates of hypoglycaemia in these trials were low, although higher rates were noted when combined with a sulphonylurea. While further study will be required, GLP-1 receptor agonists may offer important advantages over other diabetic therapies, including DPP-4 inhibitors.