Liraglutide is a fatty-acid acylated GLP-1 receptor agonist with a 13-hour half-life achieved through C-16 palmitoyl attachment via a gamma-glutamic acid linker — enabling once-daily dosing compared to native GLP-1’s 2-minute plasma half-life. It is the reference GLP-1R agonist against which newer compounds (semaglutide, tirzepatide, retatrutide) are benchmarked, with the LEADER trial providing the foundational cardiovascular outcomes data for the class. Marketed as Victoza (T2DM) and Saxenda (obesity), liraglutide established the proof-of-concept that GLP-1R agonism produces clinically meaningful MACE reduction — a finding later replicated and extended by the SUSTAIN and SELECT trials for semaglutide.
13 hr
Half-life (SC)
≈8%
HbA1c reduction LEADER trial
≈3 kg
Weight reduction vs placebo
13%
MACE reduction LEADER trial
≥99%
Purity — HPLC verified
Liraglutide — Specifications
Liraglutide — specifications
Property
Value
CAS Number
204656-20-2
Molecular Formula
C₁₇₂H₂₆₅N₄₃O₅₁
Molecular Weight
3751.2 g/mol
Half-life
13 hr (SC)
Class
GLP-1R agonist (acylated)
Purity
≥99% HPLC verified
COA
Janoshik independent third-party
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Mechanism of Action — Liraglutide
Liraglutide activates the GLP-1 receptor (GPCR, Gs-coupled) in pancreatic β-cells, intestinal L-cells, cardiac tissue, and CNS (hypothalamic arcuate nucleus, brainstem NTS). Receptor activation drives:
Pancreatic: Glucose-dependent cAMP/PKA → insulin secretion; glucagon suppression from α-cells
Native GLP-1 is degraded by DPP-IV within 2 minutes of injection — useless for in vivo studies requiring sustained receptor engagement. Liraglutide’s C-16 palmitoyl chain enables albumin binding (non-covalent), protecting from DPP-IV cleavage and renal filtration. This produces a 13-hour half-life allowing once-daily dosing. Semaglutide extends this further via a C-18 diacid chain (168-hour half-life). Liraglutide sits between native GLP-1 and semaglutide — long enough for daily dosing, short enough for faster washout in termination studies.
Key Research Studies & Clinical Data
Key clinical trials — liraglutide
Trial
Design
Primary endpoint
Liraglutide result
LEADER 2016
9,340 T2DM patients, 3.8yr follow-up, CV risk
3-point MACE
13% RRR vs placebo (HR 0.87, p=0.01)
SCALE Obesity 2015
3,731 non-diabetic obese, 56 weeks, 3mg/day
≥5% weight loss
63.2% liraglutide vs 27.1% placebo
LEAD-6 2009
Liraglutide vs exenatide BID, 26 weeks, T2DM
HbA1c reduction
−1.12% lira vs −0.79% exenatide
SCALE Maintenance
422 patients, weight regain after low-cal diet
Body weight
6.1% further loss vs 0.2% placebo
Research Protocols — Liraglutide
Protocol 1: Rodent T2DM model (db/db mouse)
0.2–0.6 mg/kg SC once daily × 4–8 weeks. Blood glucose AUC, HbA1c equivalent (fructosamine), OGTT, insulin secretion (ELISA), β-cell mass (IHC). Compare vs vehicle and metformin control.
Protocol 2: Diet-induced obesity (DIO) mouse
0.4 mg/kg SC daily × 6–12 weeks. Body weight, fat mass (EchoMRI), food intake (metabolic cage), energy expenditure (indirect calorimetry), adipokine panel (leptin, adiponectin).
0.3 mg/kg SC daily × 12 weeks. Aortic plaque area (Oil Red O), inflammatory markers (CRP, IL-6, TNF-α), endothelial function (aortic ring), cardiac function (Echo).
Protocol 4: GLP-1R agonist comparison arm
Liraglutide 0.4 mg/kg vs semaglutide 0.1 mg/kg vs vehicle in DIO mice — same endpoints. Isolates receptor selectivity effects vs acylation PK differences.
Protocol 5: CNS appetite signalling
ICV liraglutide 1–10 µg in rat. Hypothalamic c-Fos activation, POMC/AgRP mRNA (qPCR), food intake, neuropeptide-Y quantification. Maps central vs peripheral contribution.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is liraglutide used for in research?
Liraglutide is used in research as the reference GLP-1R agonist for T2DM, obesity, and cardiovascular protection studies. Its 13-hour half-life enables once-daily SC dosing in animal models. It is also used as the comparator arm when benchmarking newer GLP-1R agonists (semaglutide, tirzepatide, retatrutide) because of its extensive clinical trial dataset (LEADER, SCALE, LEAD series)
How does liraglutide differ from semaglutide?
Both activate GLP-1R, but differ in acylation chemistry and half-life. Liraglutide uses a C-16 palmitoyl chain (albumin binding) for a 13-hour half-life and once-daily dosing. Semaglutide uses a C-18 diacid chain with a longer linker for 168-hour half-life and once-weekly dosing. Semaglutide produces approximately twice the weight reduction. For research requiring faster washout or daily dosing flexibility, liraglutide is preferred.
What was the LEADER trial?
LEADER (Liraglutide Effect and Action in Diabetes: Evaluation of Cardiovascular Outcome Results) was a 9,340-patient randomised trial in T2DM patients with high cardiovascular risk. Over 3.8 years, liraglutide 1.8mg daily reduced 3-point MACE by 13% vs placebo (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.78–0.97, p=0.01). It was the first trial to demonstrate cardiovascular protection for a GLP-1R agonist — a finding that reshaped the T2DM treatment paradigm and preceded similar data for semaglutide (SUSTAIN-6) and the class.
What formats does QSC supply for liraglutide research?
QSC supplies liraglutide as lyophilised injectable powder in research vial kits, ≥99% purity confirmed by HPLC with Janoshik independent COA. Available for domestic dispatch from QSC warehouses in the USA, EU, UK, Canada, and Australia.
Is liraglutide the same as Victoza or Saxenda?
Victoza (1.2/1.8mg) and Saxenda (3mg) are pharmaceutical-grade liraglutide approved for T2DM and obesity respectively. QSC liraglutide is research-grade material — same peptide sequence and acylation, ≥99% purity, supplied for laboratory research only. Not for human use.
Research Use Only: All QSC compounds are sold strictly for laboratory research purposes. Not for human use. Not approved by the FDA or equivalent regulatory bodies for human administration. All purchases confirm research intent and compliance with applicable local regulations.
