Liraglutide: an injectable option for the management of obesity

To review the efficacy and safety of liraglutide, marketed as Saxenda, a glucagon-like peptide-1 analog for obesity management.

A MEDLINE search (1970 to March 2015) was conducted for English-language articles using the terms glucagon-like peptide 1, liraglutide, and obesity.

Published articles pertinent to the efficacy and safety of liraglutide for short- and long-term obesity management among overweight or obese patients and special populations were reviewed and summarized.

Based on randomized placebo-controlled and active-comparator studies, liraglutide can increase weight loss among overweight and obese patients in a dose-dependent manner with once-daily doses of 1.2 to 3.0 mg. It has been shown that a higher proportion of patients experienced 5% and 10% weight loss from baseline compared with placebo and orlistat. Data support the potential benefit of liraglutide among overweight and obese patients with prediabetes, as well as women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) with an inadequate response to metformin. Larger and more robust studies are needed to determine the clinical significance of liraglutide among other agents for obesity in diverse populations.

Liraglutide is an adjunct to lifestyle modifications to improve success rates among overweight or obese individuals without diabetes. It may have a potential role in special populations, such as in those with prediabetes and women with PCOS. Based on its clinical evidence, liraglutide can result in more weight loss from baseline compared with orlistat and placebo. Adverse events associated with liraglutide are primarily gastrointestinal and usually dose dependent.