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Head-to-head

Dulaglutide vs Liraglutide

Two first-generation GLP-1s that were compared directly in AWARD-6: once-weekly convenience against a slightly larger weight effect and an obesity indication.

By Julian RothResearch & dataUpdated October 2026

Short answer

Dulaglutide and liraglutide are both FDA-approved drugs, but they are aimed at different problems. Dulaglutide suits someone focused on type 2 diabetes, while liraglutide is aimed at obesity and type 2 diabetes. For dulaglutide, HbA1c lowered about 1.4 percentage points with about 2.9 kg weight loss at 1.5 mg in the AWARD-6 trial.

Dulaglutide

Trulicity

FDA-approved

A once-weekly GLP-1 approved for diabetes with a proven CV benefit (REWIND), but only modest weight loss — it is not an obesity drug, and weight-seekers are steered to semaglutide/tirzepatide.

Full Dulaglutide evidence review

Liraglutide

Saxenda / Victoza

FDA-approved

The first-gen daily GLP-1: ~8% weight loss in SCALE plus a proven CV benefit (LEADER) — real, but modest and now eclipsed by weekly semaglutide and tirzepatide.

Full Liraglutide evidence review

Dulaglutide vs Liraglutide: head to head

FDA status / approved use

Dulaglutide

FDA-approved (Trulicity) for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular risk reduction; not for weight management

Liraglutide

Approved as Victoza for type 2 diabetes (2010) and Saxenda for weight management (2014); prescription only
Marketed for

Dulaglutide

Type-2 diabetes

Liraglutide

Obesity, type-2 diabetes
Outcome areas

Dulaglutide

Blood sugar / insulin sensitivity; Cardiovascular

Liraglutide

Weight loss / appetite; Blood sugar / insulin sensitivity; Cardiovascular
Evidence grade

Dulaglutide

FDA-approved

Liraglutide

FDA-approved
How it works

Dulaglutide

Mimics GLP-1 to boost insulin, suppress glucagon, slow stomach emptying and curb appetite

Liraglutide

First-generation GLP-1 receptor agonist lasting long enough for once-daily dosing
Route and dosing

Dulaglutide

Subcutaneous injection, once weekly

Liraglutide

Subcutaneous injection, once daily
Headline human result

Dulaglutide

HbA1c lowered about 1.4 percentage points with about 2.9 kg weight loss at 1.5 mg in the AWARD-6 trial

Liraglutide

About 8% mean body-weight loss vs about 2.6% on placebo at 56 weeks in the SCALE trial
Strongest evidence

Dulaglutide

REWIND, Lancet 2019Dulaglutide evidence reviewPubMed 31189511

Liraglutide

SCALE Obesity, NEJM 2015Liraglutide evidence reviewPubMed 26132939
Key safety signal

Dulaglutide

Gastrointestinal side effects, which vary from person to person

Liraglutide

Gastrointestinal side effects including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation
How it is obtained

Dulaglutide

Prescription drug

Liraglutide

Prescription drug

marks a row where the two differ. “Not established” marks a cell the available evidence does not answer. Evidence grades come from our evidence matrix, which grades each molecule on the human data for the use it is marketed for.

FDA-approved:
Approved by the FDA for a defined indication, on the strength of pivotal human trials.

Our verdict

This is one of the rare pairs with a true head-to-head. In AWARD-6, once-weekly dulaglutide 1.5 mg lowered HbA1c by about 1.4 percentage points and was non-inferior to once-daily liraglutide 1.8 mg, with slightly less weight loss, roughly 2.9 kg versus about 3.6 kg. Both have proven cardiovascular benefit in their own outcomes trials, REWIND for dulaglutide (hazard ratio 0.88) and LEADER for liraglutide (hazard ratio 0.87). Only liraglutide is also approved for chronic weight management, at the higher 3.0 mg Saxenda dose, and neither is in the same class as the newer weight-specific agents.

Dulaglutide fits if

Blood-sugar control and cardiovascular risk are the target, and you want the once-weekly injection with largely primary-prevention outcomes data.

Liraglutide fits if

You need a GLP-1 with a weight-management indication, fine daily dose adjustment, or the adolescent obesity evidence from SCALE Teens.

Dulaglutide vs Liraglutide: common questions

Are dulaglutide and liraglutide both FDA-approved?
Yes. Dulaglutide is FDA-approved (Trulicity) for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular risk reduction; not for weight management. Liraglutide is approved as Victoza for type 2 diabetes (2010) and Saxenda for weight management (2014); prescription only.
Which has stronger human evidence, dulaglutide or liraglutide?
Neither clearly. Both have approval-level evidence. The key source for dulaglutide is REWIND, Lancet 2019; for liraglutide, it is SCALE Obesity, NEJM 2015.
What are the main safety concerns with dulaglutide and liraglutide?
For dulaglutide, watch for gastrointestinal side effects, which vary from person to person. For liraglutide, watch for gastrointestinal side effects including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation.

Key studies behind each

Dulaglutide

  1. Dungan KM, Povedano ST, Forst T, et al. (2014). Once-weekly dulaglutide versus once-daily liraglutide in metformin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes (AWARD-6): a randomised, open-label, phase 3, non-inferiority trial. Lancet. PubMed 25018121
  2. Frías JP, Bonora E, Nevárez Ruiz L, et al. (2021). Efficacy and Safety of Dulaglutide 3.0 mg and 4.5 mg Versus Dulaglutide 1.5 mg in Metformin-Treated Patients With Type 2 Diabetes in a Randomized Controlled Trial (AWARD-11). Diabetes Care. PubMed 33397768
  3. Gerstein HC, Colhoun HM, Dagenais GR, et al. (2019). Dulaglutide and cardiovascular outcomes in type 2 diabetes (REWIND): a double-blind, randomised placebo-controlled trial. Lancet. PubMed 31189511
  4. Pratley RE, Aroda VR, Lingvay I, et al. (2018). Semaglutide versus dulaglutide once weekly in patients with type 2 diabetes (SUSTAIN 7): a randomised, open-label, phase 3b trial. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. PubMed 29397376

Liraglutide

  1. Pi-Sunyer X, Astrup A, Fujioka K, et al. (2015). A Randomized, Controlled Trial of 3.0 mg of Liraglutide in Weight Management (SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes). N Engl J Med. PubMed 26132939
  2. Marso SP, Daniels GH, Brown-Frandsen K, et al. (2016). Liraglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes (LEADER). N Engl J Med. PubMed 27295427
  3. Capehorn MS, Catarig AM, Furberg JK, et al. (2020). Efficacy and safety of once-weekly semaglutide 1.0 mg vs once-daily liraglutide 1.2 mg as add-on to 1-3 oral antidiabetic drugs in subjects with type 2 diabetes (SUSTAIN 10). Diabetes Metab. PubMed 31539622
  4. Kelly AS, Auerbach P, Barrientos-Perez M, et al. (2020). A Randomized, Controlled Trial of Liraglutide for Adolescents with Obesity (SCALE Teens). N Engl J Med. PubMed 32233338

The full evidence reviews

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