title: Liraglutide achieves A1C targets more often than sitagliptin or exenatide when added to metformin in patients with type 2 diabetes and a baseline A1C <8.0%.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Compare the safety and efficacy of liraglutide to that of sitagliptin or exenatide as add-on to metformin in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and glycated hemoglobin (A1C) <8.0%.
  
  
  METHODS
  Post hoc analysis of 26-week data from liraglutide 1.8 mg once daily (OD) versus exenatide 10 μg twice daily (LEAD-6) and liraglutide 1.8 mg OD versus sitagliptin 100 mg OD (LIRA-DPP-4); only patients treated as add-on to metformin with baseline A1C <8.0% were included. Efficacy analysis was performed on the intention-to-treat population with missing values imputed by last observation carried forward.
  
  
  RESULTS
  More patients achieved A1C targets (<7.0% and ≤6.5%) with liraglutide versus exenatide or sitagliptin; the difference was greatest for A1C ≤6.5% (LEAD-6: 65% versus 35%; odds ratio [OR]=3.37, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.31-8.63; P = .01 or LIRA-DPP-4: 53% versus 19%; OR = 4.78, 95% CI 2.10 to 10.87; P = .0002). Significantly more patients achieved a composite endpoint of A1C <7.0% with no weight gain or hypoglycemia with liraglutide compared with exenatide (78% versus 42%; OR = 4.99, 95% CI: 1.77 to 14.04; P = .0023) or sitagliptin (61% versus 21%; OR = 5.95, 95% CI: 2.66 to 13.29; P<.0001). All treatments were well tolerated, there was no major hypoglycemia and few patients (8 to 10%) experienced minor hypoglycemia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When added to metformin in patients with an A1C <8.0%, more patients using liraglutide 1.8 mg reached A1C targets than with exenatide or sitagliptin. Sitagliptin had particularly low efficacy in this analysis. These data support the use of liraglutide 1.8 mg as a safe and effective alternative to sitagliptin or exenatide following metformin failure in patients with an A1C <8.0%.
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Care Center, Salinas, CA 93901, USA. aking@diabetescarecenter.com
authors.forename: Allen B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: Eduard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Montanya
authors.forename: Richard E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Pratley
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Blonde
authors.forename: Claus Bo
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Svendsen
authors.forename: Morten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Donsmark
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sesti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D000077270:Exenatide; D005260:Female; D052216:Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000139:chemically induced; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069450:Liraglutide; D008297:Male; D008687:Metformin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010455:Peptides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011719:Pyrazines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068900:Sitagliptin Phosphate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014230:Triazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014688:Venoms / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D000077270:Exenatide; D052216:Glucagon-Like Peptide 1; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D000069450:Liraglutide; D008687:Metformin; D010455:Peptides; D011719:Pyrazines; D000068900:Sitagliptin Phosphate; D014230:Triazoles; D014688:Venoms