Biosimilar Liraglutide Works as Well as Brand-Name Liraglutide for Weight Loss in Indian Patients with Diabetes

This was a post-hoc analysis of a Phase III clinical trial. Researchers selected 179 patients with type 2 diabetes and BMI above 25 kg/m² from the larger trial population. One group received biosimilar liraglutide and the other received reference (brand-name) liraglutide at doses up to 1.8 mg daily. The primary endpoint was mean change in body weight from baseline to week 24, with blood sugar measures as secondary endpoints.

Liraglutide is an effective but expensive GLP-1 drug for diabetes and weight management. Biosimilars — essentially generic versions of biologic drugs — could dramatically lower costs and improve access, especially in countries like India where affordability is a major barrier to treatment. This study provides clinical evidence that the biosimilar version works just as well.

As GLP-1 agonists become standard treatments for both diabetes and obesity, their high cost remains a major barrier worldwide. Biosimilar versions could open access to millions of patients in low- and middle-income countries. This study from India adds to the growing evidence that biosimilar peptide drugs can match the originals in efficacy, supporting global efforts to make these treatments affordable.

This was a post-hoc analysis, not a prospectively designed weight-loss trial, which weakens the strength of conclusions. The sample size of 179 is modest. The study was conducted only in Indian patients, so results may not generalize to other populations. The 24-week duration is relatively short for assessing weight management outcomes. The numerical weight loss difference (5.5 vs 7.1 kg) was not statistically significant but could be clinically meaningful.