Introduction: SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes (NCT01272219), a 56-week, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of liraglutide in weight management. This post-hoc analysis compared key outcomes of responders (≥5% weight loss [WL] from baseline at week [W] 56) vs non-responders (<5% WL from baseline at W56).
Methods: Overweight/obese individuals (BMI ≥27 kg/m2 with ≥1 comorbidity or ≥30 kg/m2) without T2D were randomised 2:1 to liraglutide 3.0 mg (n=2487) or placebo (n=1244) as an adjunct to diet and exercise. Change from baseline data are LS means with LOCF.
Results: Mean overall baseline characteristics: age 45 years, 79% female, body weight 106 kg, BMI 38 kg/m2. At W56, significantly more individuals on liraglutide vs. placebo were responders (63.2% vs 27.1%; p<0.0001). WL in responders vs non-responders was liraglutide: -11.7 vs 1.7%, placebo: -10.0 vs 0.1%. Responders had greater improvements than non-responders across a range of outcomes, including glycaemia, cardiometabolic and quality of life outcomes. Reduction in FPG was greater with liraglutide vs placebo for responders (-0.46 vs -0.16 mmol/L, respectively) and non-responders (-0.28vs. +0.06 mg/dL, respectively), and for systolic blood pressure with liraglutide vs placebo (responders: -5.5 vs -3.4 mmHg, respectively; non-responders: -2.0 vs -0.8 mmHg, respectively). Gastrointestinal adverse events (AE) were the most common AEs, occurring with similar frequency in responders and non-responders (liraglutide 69.2 and 67.2%; placebo 44.4 and 39.6%, respectively). Gallbladder events were more common in liraglutide responders than placebo responders (3.4 vs 1.2 events/100 PYE, respectively) but similar in both non-responder arms (1.2 vs 1.1 events/100 PYE, respectively).
Conclusion: More individuals on liraglutide 3.0 mg vs. placebo had WL ≥5% at W56, with greater mean WL in responders vs. non-responders. In both arms, responders had greater improvements in glycaemic and cardiometabolic outcomes. AE rates were generally equivalent in responders and non-responders.