Comparison between liraglutide and dulaglutide on the incidence or progression of eye and kidney complications

In Japanese adults with type 2 diabetes, once-daily liraglutide and once-weekly dulaglutide showed similar risks of developing or worsening retinopathy, albuminuria, and reduced GFR, over mean follow-ups of 4.4 and 3.6 years respectively. Although dulaglutide had a lower albuminuria event rate per 1,000 person-years, the hazard ratio was not statistically significant.

Journal article — Observational cohort study. Population: Japanese participants with type 2 diabetes (T2D) newly initiated on once-daily liraglutide or once-weekly dulaglutide. Sample size: 331 participants. Follow-up: Mean follow-up: 4.4 years (liraglutide) and 3.6 years (dulaglutide). Interventions: liraglutide 0.9 mg once daily.

Over a mean follow-up of 4.4 years in the liraglutide group and 3.6 years in the dulaglutide group, there were no differences in the risk of incident retinopathy (HR 0.98 [0.60-1.60]) or reduced GFR (HR 0.82 [0.36-1.84]). Dulaglutide showed a lower albuminuria incidence/progression rate than liraglutide (54.7 vs 25.8 per 1,000 person-years, P=0.04), but the albuminuria hazard ratio was not significant (HR 0.51 [0.25-1.05]). The authors concluded that once-daily liraglutide and once-weekly dulaglutide have similar risks for retinopathy, albuminuria, and reduced GFR.

This paper provides comparative evidence on liraglutide versus another GLP-1 receptor agonist, dulaglutide, for diabetic eye and kidney complications in a Japanese type 2 diabetes population. Researchers focusing on liraglutide will find that its risk profile for retinopathy, albuminuria, and reduced GFR appears similar to dulaglutide, though the observational design and wide confidence intervals mean it does not establish equivalence definitively.

Key findings

• Risk of incident retinopathy was similar between liraglutide and dulaglutide (HR 0.98 [0.60-1.60]).
• Risk of reduced GFR was similar between the two groups (HR 0.82 [0.36-1.84]).
• Dulaglutide had a lower albuminuria incidence/progression rate than liraglutide (54.7 vs 25.8 per 1,000 person-years, P=0.04).
• The hazard ratio for albuminuria was 0.51 [0.25-1.05], indicating no statistically significant difference.
• Overall, liraglutide and dulaglutide showed similar risks for retinopathy, albuminuria, and reduced GFR.

Limitations

• Observational study design: residual confounding remains possible despite propensity-score weighting.
• Follow-up durations differed between the treatment groups (4.4 vs 3.6 years).
• Restricted to Japanese participants, limiting generalisability to other populations.

The record

• Journal: Journal of diabetes investigation
• Published: 2026-07-25
• PMID: 42499272 — DOI: 10.1111/jdi.70407
• Author countries: Japan

Peptide profiles: Liraglutide.

All indexed evidence: Liraglutide trials & papers.

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