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Specimen Atlas of Research Peptides30 plates · MIT
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XIIIPlate XIIIFDA approved · 2010Reviewed 2026-04-25

Liraglutide

GLP-1 Receptor Agonist

also known as Saxenda, Victoza

Modified human GLP-1 with C-16 fatty-acid acylation enabling albumin binding and a ~13 hour half-life. FDA-approved 2010 (Victoza, type 2 diabetes) and 2014 (Saxenda, chronic weight management). The LEADER trial (Marso et al., NEJM 2016) demonstrated cardiovascular event reduction in T2D with high CV risk. Predecessor to once-weekly semaglutide and tirzepatide.

§ I

At a glance

Daily dose
0.6–3.0 mg
[fda-saxenda-label-2014]
Body-weight ↓
5–10%
[fda-saxenda-label-2014]
Half-life
~13 hr
[fda-saxenda-label-2014]
Route

SQ · Abdomen / thigh / arm · Once daily

§ II

Mechanism

Primary target — GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) [fda-saxenda-label-2014].

Pathway — GLP-1R agonism → ↑glucose-dependent insulin, ↓glucagon, ↓gastric emptying, ↓appetite [fda-saxenda-label-2014][wegovy-pioglitazone-2010].

Downstream effect — Glycemic improvement, modest body-weight reduction, cardiovascular event reduction in high-risk T2D [wegovy-pioglitazone-2010].

Origin — Modified GLP-1(7-37) with Lys26 substitution (Arg34) and C-16 palmitoyl-glutamate acylation for albumin binding [fda-saxenda-label-2014].

Feedback intact — Glucose-dependent insulin release preserves physiological feedback.

§ III

Dosage

Protocols described in the cited literature; not medical advice.

ParameterValue
Standard dose (T2D, Victoza)1.2–1.8 mg / day [fda-saxenda-label-2014]
Standard dose (weight, Saxenda)3.0 mg / day (after 5-week titration) [fda-saxenda-label-2014]
FrequencyOnce daily, same time each day
Titration schedule0.6 → 1.2 → 1.8 → 2.4 → 3.0 mg over 5 weeksMitigates GI side effects.
Evidence basisFDA-approved · Phase 3 RCTs (LEADER, SCALE) [wegovy-pioglitazone-2010][fda-saxenda-label-2014]
DurationIndefinite for chronic indication
ReconstitutionPre-filled commercial pen (no reconstitution)
TimingAny time of day; consistent
Half-life~13 hr [fda-saxenda-label-2014]
§ III · b

Reconstitution

A pure mass-to-volume utility. Enter what you have in the vial; the atlas computes the volume per dose. No prescription information.

Inputs
The calculator does pure mass-to-volume math. It does not recommend a dose. Refer to Liraglutide's cited literature for protocol specifics.
Volumetric outputFig. C — reconstitution math
Volume per dose
0.167mL
≈ 16.7 units on a U-100 insulin syringe
Concentration
1500
mcg per mL
Doses per vial
12
at this dose
§ V

Adverse events

Severities follow the FDA / CTCAE convention.

GI symptomsmoderate
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea (very common during titration) [fda-saxenda-label-2014]
Pancreatitis risksevere
Rare; discontinue if suspected
Thyroid C-cell tumourssevere
Boxed warning — contraindicated in MEN2 / MTC history [fda-saxenda-label-2014]
Hypoglycemiamoderate
Low risk as monotherapy; elevated with sulfonylureas / insulin
Heart ratemild
Modest ↑ resting HR (~2-3 bpm)
Cardiovascular benefitmild
↓ MACE in high-risk T2D (LEADER trial) [wegovy-pioglitazone-2010]
Pregnancy / OBsevere
Contraindicated
Absolute contraindications
  • — MTC personal or family history; MEN2
  • — Pregnancy / breastfeeding
  • — Hypersensitivity to liraglutide
Relative contraindications
  • — Severe gastroparesis
  • — History of pancreatitis
  • — Severe gastrointestinal disease
§ VI

Administration

  1. 01
    Reconstitution / device

    Commercial pre-filled pen, no reconstitution required.

  2. 02
    Injection site

    SQ — abdomen, thigh, or upper arm. Rotate sites.

  3. 03
    Timing

    Once daily, same time each day. Take with or without food.

  4. 04
    Storage

    Refrigerate 2–8 °C unopened; room temp ≤30 °C up to 30 days after first use.

  5. 05
    Needle

    Pen-supplied 32G needle.

Appendix

Sources

31%

of 45 rendered claims carry a resolvable citation.

  1. [fda-saxenda-label-2014]
    SAXENDA (liraglutide) injectio 2014 — SAXENDA (liraglutide) injection prescribing information
    fda-label, 2014
    Source →
  2. [wegovy-pioglitazone-2010]
    Marso 2016 — Liraglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes
    N Engl J Med, 2016
    PubMed →
Plate composed 2026-04-25 · maturity verified · schema v1 · Contributors: peptidesdb-core · 31 fields uncited — open contributions
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