In a randomized trial of 68 adults with new-onset type 1 diabetes, liraglutide preserved beta cell function for a year and allowed 13 patients to go insulin-free for an average of 22 weeks.
13 patients insulin-freeThirteen of the liraglutide-treated patients achieved periods without needing any insulin injections, lasting an average of 22 weeks
What the researchers found
After 52 weeks, patients on liraglutide maintained their C-peptide response (a measure of natural insulin production) while placebo patients saw theirs decline significantly (P = .002). The liraglutide group needed less insulin over time — dropping from 0.30 to 0.23 units/kg/day — while the placebo group's needs increased from 0.29 to 0.43 units/kg/day (P < .001).
Thirteen liraglutide patients achieved periods without any insulin injections, lasting an average of 22 weeks (range: 3–52 weeks), compared to only two placebo patients who managed an average of 6 weeks insulin-free. However, six weeks after stopping liraglutide, C-peptide levels were similar between groups, indicating the benefit did not persist after discontinuation.
Why it matters
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that destroys insulin-producing beta cells. There is currently no approved treatment to slow this destruction. This trial shows that a widely available GLP-1 drug can temporarily preserve remaining beta cell function in the critical first year after diagnosis — a 'honeymoon period' when intervention may have the most impact. While the effect didn't last after stopping the drug, it opens the door to combination strategies that might achieve lasting remission.
How the study worked
This was a multicenter, double-blind, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial. Sixty-eight adults newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes who still had measurable insulin production (stimulated C-peptide > 0.2 nmol/L) were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive either 1.8 mg liraglutide or placebo daily for 52 weeks, followed by 6 weeks of observation on insulin alone. Beta cell function was assessed using C-peptide area under the curve from a 4-hour liquid mixed-meal test.
What this study cannot tell us
The sample size of 68 patients was relatively small for detecting durable clinical effects. The protective effect on beta cells did not persist after liraglutide was stopped, raising questions about whether continuous treatment would be practical. The study only followed patients for 58 weeks total, so long-term outcomes remain unknown. Gastrointestinal side effects, though transient, were common with liraglutide.
How to read the evidence
This is a well-designed randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial — the gold standard for clinical evidence. However, the sample size is modest (68 patients), and the primary benefit did not persist after stopping treatment.
When this study was published
Published in 2024 in Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolism, this is a recent and highly relevant trial as interest in GLP-1 drugs for type 1 diabetes continues to grow.
The bigger picture
GLP-1 receptor agonists are primarily approved for type 2 diabetes and obesity, but researchers are increasingly exploring whether they can help in type 1 diabetes too. This trial — called NewLira — provides some of the strongest evidence yet that liraglutide can extend the honeymoon phase in newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes. The fact that the effect disappeared after stopping treatment suggests any future strategy would need to be ongoing or combined with immune-modulating therapies.
Questions still open
- Would continuous long-term liraglutide treatment permanently preserve beta cell function in type 1 diabetes?
- Could combining liraglutide with immunotherapy produce lasting remission that survives drug discontinuation?
- Would newer GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide or tirzepatide show even stronger beta cell preservation in type 1 diabetes?
Common questions
Can liraglutide cure type 1 diabetes?
Is liraglutide approved for type 1 diabetes?
Read the original research
Liraglutide enhances insulin secretion and prolongs the remission period in adults with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes (the NewLira study): A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
Diabetes, obesity & metabolism, 26(11), 4905-4915
Citation
Dejgaard, Thomas F; Frandsen, Christian S; Kielgast, Urd; Størling, Joachim; Overgaard, Anne J; Svane, Maria S; Olsen, Markus Harboe; Thorsteinsson, Birger; Andersen, Henrik U; Krarup, Thure; Holst, Jens J; Madsbad, Sten. (2024). Liraglutide enhances insulin secretion and prolongs the remission period in adults with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes (the NewLira study): A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.. Diabetes, obesity & metabolism, 26(11), 4905-4915. https://doi.org/10.1111/dom.15889