Adverse effect · Liraglutide

How common is gallbladder events with Liraglutide?

A
Grade A — established in humansSCALE + LEADER · effect size: small · adverse
Short answerEstablished in humans. SCALE + LEADER point the same way: a small effect. Cholelithiasis and cholecystitis were more frequent on liraglutide (2.5% versus 1.0% in SCALE), a class effect partly explained by rapid weight loss.

What the studies show

Cholelithiasis and cholecystitis were more frequent on liraglutide (2.5% versus 1.0% in SCALE), a class effect partly explained by rapid weight loss.

Several well-run randomised trials in people, pointing the same way. You can plan around this. It still says nothing about whether the effect is worth the side effects for you.

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    Marso SP, et al. Liraglutide and cardiovascular outcomes in type 2 diabetes (LEADER).N Engl J Med, 2016; DOI 10.1056/NEJMoa16038279,340 patients, median 3.8 years.

In context

Liraglutide is a once-daily GLP-1 receptor agonist and the drug that proved the class. In the 3,731-person SCALE trial it produced 8.0% weight loss at 56 weeks against 2.6% on placebo, and in the 9,340-person LEADER trial it cut major cardiovascular events by 13% and cardiovascular death by 22% in people with type 2 diabetes. It is approved almost everywhere, now generic, and less effective than the weekly drugs that followed it.

Liraglutide is approved (saxenda, victoza). Legal status differs by country — see the regulation section or the jurisdiction pages.

Questions

Is Liraglutide proven to cause gallbladder events?
Yes, as far as human trials can show it: SCALE + LEADER. LYO grades this outcome A.
What studies are behind the grade?
Cholelithiasis and cholecystitis were more frequent on liraglutide (2.5% versus 1.0% in SCALE), a class effect partly explained by rapid weight loss.
Is Liraglutide approved for this?
Liraglutide is an approved medicine (Approved (Saxenda, Victoza)); whether this particular outcome is a licensed indication is stated on the compound page's regulation section.

Other outcomes for Liraglutide

Reviewed 3 September 2026. Grades count human evidence only; see how LYO grades. Not medical advice. Correct this page →