What is "liraglutide"

n. A particular polypeptide analog used in the treatment of diabetes

Liraglutide (NN2211) is a long-acting glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, binding to the same receptors as does the endogenous metabolic hormone GLP-1 that stimulates insulin secretion. Marketed under the brand name Victoza, it is an injectable drug developed by Novo Nordisk for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. In 2015, Novo Nordisk began marketing it in the U.S. and E.U. under the brand name Saxenda as a treatment for adults, who are obese or overweight with at least one weight-related comorbid condition.

The product was approved for treatment of type 2 diabetes by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) on July 3, 2009, and by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on January 25, 2010. More recently, Liraglutide was approved by the FDA on December 23, 2014 and by the European Medicines Agency on January 23, 2015, for adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater (obesity) or a BMI of 27 or greater (overweight) who have at least one weight-related condition.