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Saxenda aids weight loss in patients with diabetes
Daily injections of Saxenda with a modified insulin pen device, in addition to diet and exercise, resulted in greater weight loss over 56 weeks, compared with placebo, in patients with type 2 diabetes and overweight or obesity, according to recent study findings published in JAMA.
“To our knowledge, this is the first study specifically designed to investigate the efficacy of [Saxenda (liraglutide, Novo Nordisk)] for weight management in patients with type 2 diabetes and also the first study to investigate liraglutide at the higher 3-mg dose in a population with type 2 diabetes,” the researchers wrote. “In the present trial, liraglutide (3 mg), as an adjunct to a reduced-caloric diet and increased physical activity, was effective and generally well tolerated and significantly better than placebo on all three coprimary weight-related endpoints.”
Melanie J. Davies
Melanie J. Davies, MD, of the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom, and colleagues evaluated 846 patients aged 18 years or older with type 2 diabetes and overweight or obesity from 126 sites in nine countries between June 2011 and January 2013. Participants were randomly assigned to once-daily injections of liraglutide 3 mg (n = 423), liraglutide 1.8 mg (n = 211) or placebo (n = 212) for 56 weeks. Researchers conducted a 12-week “off-drug” follow-up period to evaluate treatment-cessation effects. Participants were instructed to reduce calories by 500 kcal/day and increase physical activity to at least 150 minutes per week for weight management.
Primary endpoints included relative change in weight, proportion of participants losing at least 5% or more than 10% of baseline body weight at week 56.
The liraglutide 3-mg group had a mean baseline weight of 105.7 kg compared with 105.8 kg for the liraglutide 1.8-mg group and 106.5 kg for the placebo group. Mean weight loss was greater among with the liraglutide 3-mg group (6%) compared with the liraglutide 1.8-mg group (4.7%) and placebo group (2%). Compared with placebo, weight loss was significantly greater among the two liraglutide groups for all three primary endpoints.
More participants in the liraglutide 3-mg group lost at least 5% of their body weight (54.3%) compared with the liraglutide 1.8-mg (40.4%) and placebo (21.4%) groups. Similarly, more participants in the liraglutide 3-mg group lost more than 10% of their body weight (25.2%) compared with the liraglutide 1.8-mg (15.9%) and placebo (6.7%) groups.
“Among overweight and obese participants with type 2 diabetes, use of subcutaneous liraglutide (3 mg) daily, compared with placebo, resulted in weight loss over 56 weeks,” the researchers wrote. “Further studies are needed to evaluate longer-term efficacy and safety.” – by Amber Cox
Disclosure: Davies reports various financial ties with AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly & Co., GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi-Aventis, Servier and Zealand Pharma. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.