AIMS: Effects of the long acting GLP-1 analogue--liraglutide in subjects with 
type 2 diabetes.
METHODS: 144 type 2 diabetic subjects on metformin treatment (1000 mg BID) were 
randomised to 5 weeks of treatment (double-blind) with metformin plus 
liraglutide, liraglutide or metformin, or metformin plus glimepiride (open 
label). The dose of liraglutide was increased weekly from 0.5 to 2 mg OD.
RESULTS: Liraglutide added to metformin monotherapy was associated with a 
significant reduction in fasting serum glucose (FSG) (-3.9 mM -4.9; -2.9) 
(primary objective), and HbA1c levels (-0.8% -1.2; -0.4). Furthermore, 
liraglutide in combination with metformin vs. metformin plus glimepiride 
significantly reduced FSG (-1.2 mM -2.2; -0.2). In addition, body weight was 
significantly lower in the metformin plus liraglutide vs. the metformin plus 
glimepiride group (-2.9 kg -3.6; -2.1). There were no biochemically confirmed 
episodes of hypoglycaemia with liraglutide treatment. Nausea was the most 
frequently reported adverse event following liraglutide therapy, it was 
transient in nature, and led to withdrawal of only 4% of the subjects.
CONCLUSIONS: Using a weekly dose-titration liraglutide is well tolerated up to 2 
mg daily. While liraglutide caused transient gastrointestinal side effects, this 
rarely interfered with continuing treatment. An improvement in FSG over that in 
control groups was seen for liraglutide as an add-on to metformin. In the latter 
case, body weight was reduced in comparison to metformin plus glimepiride. 
Liraglutide is a promising drug for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.