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A 26-Week Randomized Controlled Trial of Semaglutide Once Daily Versus Liraglutide and Placebo in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Suboptimally Controlled on Diet and Exercise With or Without Metformin

I. Lingvay, Cyrus V. Desouza, K. Lalić, L. Rose, T. Hansen, J. Zacho, T. Pieber

Diabetes Care, 2018

705 participants · 69 citations

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To investigate the efficacy and safety of once-daily semaglutide in comparison with once-daily liraglutide and placebo in patients with type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS This 26-week, multicenter, double-blind trial involved patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes with HbA1c 7.0–10.0% (53–86 mmol/mol) and treated with diet and exercise with or without metformin. Patients were randomized 2:2:1 to once-daily semaglutide, liraglutide, or placebo in one of four volume-matched doses (semaglutide 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, or 0.3 mg and liraglutide 0.3, 0.6, 1.2, or 1.8 mg, with both compared within each volume-matched dose group). Primary end point was change in HbA1c from baseline to week 26. RESULTS In total, 705 randomized patients were exposed to trial products. At week 26, a dose-dependent change in HbA1c was observed with semaglutide from −1.1% (0.05 mg) to −1.9% (0.3 mg) and with liraglutide from −0.5% (0.3 mg) to −1.3% (1.8 mg) (all P < 0.001 in favor of volume-matched semaglutide dose). Change with pooled placebo was −0.02% (P < 0.0001 vs. semaglutide). Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders were the most common adverse events (AEs) with semaglutide and liraglutide, occurring in 32.8–54.0% and 21.9–41.5% of patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Once-daily semaglutide at doses up to 0.3 mg/day resulted in greater reductions in HbA1c compared with liraglutide or placebo but with a higher frequency of GI AEs.

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design. Reported size: 705 participants or records.

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