Liraglutide

About Liraglutide

What is liraglutide?
Liraglutide was the GLP-1 agonist that proved the concept before semaglutide arrived and took all the headlines. It is 97% identical to native human GLP-1 — just one amino acid substitution (Arg34→Lys) plus a C16 palmitic acid chain at position 26 for albumin binding. That gives it a half-life of about 13 hours, which means daily dosing rather than semaglutide weekly dosing.

CAS: 204656-20-2. The LEAD, SCALE, and LEADER programs generated the published literature base that much subsequent GLP-1 research references for context.

Important Notice — Research Use Only

Liraglutide is supplied by CertaPeptides strictly as a laboratory research compound. Any clinical or pharmacological figures referenced on this page are taken from peer-reviewed literature and are reported here for research context only. They are not medical claims and do not describe what CertaPeptides' research material will do in any individual. This product is not a drug, not a dietary supplement, not a cosmetic, and not approved by the FDA, EMA, or any other regulatory authority for over-the-counter sale for human or veterinary use. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, prevent, or mitigate any disease or condition. For laboratory research purposes only. Not for human consumption.

Mechanism of Action

Why researchers still use it
Two reasons. First, the daily pharmacokinetics enable different experimental designs than weekly compounds. If you need GLP-1R activation that washes out in hours rather than days, liraglutide gives you that temporal control. Second, the LEADER dataset is frequently cited in GLP-1 research literature, and comparative research still references it for context.

Mechanism
Binds GLP-1R, activates adenylyl cyclase, raises cAMP. Glucose-dependent insulin secretion from beta cells and glucagon suppression from alpha cells are studied in model systems, as are delayed gastric emptying and hypothalamic satiety signalling. The mechanisms studied are the same as semaglutide — the difference is duration, not pathway.

Research Overview

For labs running first-generation vs. second-generation GLP-1RA comparisons (liraglutide vs. semaglutide), the structural differences are instructive: 97% vs. 94% GLP-1 homology, C16 vs. C18 fatty acid, 13-hour vs. 168-hour half-life. Small chemical changes, large pharmacokinetic consequences.

Specs

Molecular weight3,751.2 Da
CAS204656-20-2
Purity≥98% (supplier batch spec; 99.3% avg across independently tested lots)
FormLyophilized powder
Sizes3mg, 5mg

Storage
Lyophilized at -20°C. Reconstituted: 2-8°C, use within 4 weeks.

Product Specifications

• Purity: ≥98% (supplier batch spec; 99.3% avg across independently tested lots)
• Form: Lyophilized powder
• SKU: CP-LIRA

Every product ships to a ≥98% supplier batch specification; selected lots are independently tested by Janoshik Analytical (HPLC + mass spectrometry; 99.3% average purity across published reports), searchable by batch code at certapeptides.com/verify →

For research purposes only. Not for human consumption.