Liraglutide and glimepiride on glycaemic control in type 2 diabetes in the Mexican cohort (LEAD 3)

Objective: To compare the efficacy of liraglutide monotherapy with glimepiride monotherapy in subjects with DM2 inadequately controlled by previous treatment of diet/exercise or oral antidiabetic drug.

Methods: A 52-week, double-blinded, active-controlled, parallel-group, multi-centre, prospective trial, involving 746 subjects was conducted in the USA and Mexico. In Mexico, 171 subjects were rando-mised (1:1:1) to once daily liraglutide (either 1.2, or 1.8 mg/day injected subcutaneously) or glimepiride (8 mg/day orally).

Results: Hb1Ac reduced by 0.64%, 1.31% and 0.30% with glimepiride, liraglutide 1.8 mg and 1.2 mg, respectively. Body weight decreased with both liraglutide doses while a weight gain of 0.94 kg was observed with glimepiride. FPG reduced by 27.9 mg/dL with liraglutide 1.8 mg, whereas a FPG increase of 9.54 mg/dL was shown with glimepiride. No major hypoglycaemic episodes were reported in this trial.

Conclusions: in Mexican subjects with DM2, liraglutide monotherapy can provide greater reduction in HbA1c, weight loss and lower risk of hypoglycaemia in comparison with glimepiride.