No Evidence of Increase in Calcitonin Concentrations or Development of C-Cell Malignancy in Response to Liraglutide for Up to 5 Years in the LEADER Trial

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To describe the changes in serum levels of calcitonin in liraglutide- and placebo-treated patients in the Liraglutide Effect and Action in Diabetes: Evaluation of Cardiovascular Outcome Results (LEADER) trial over a 3.5–5-year period. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Patients (n = 9,340) with type 2 diabetes and high risk for cardiovascular events were randomized 1:1 to liraglutide or placebo. We analyzed calcitonin levels throughout the trial, and thyroid and C-cell adverse events and neoplasms. RESULTS At 36 months, patients randomized to liraglutide versus placebo showed no evidence of increase in calcitonin concentrations in male (estimated treatment ratio [ETR] 1.03 [95% CI 1.00, 1.06]; P = 0.068) and female (ETR 1.00 [95% CI 0.97, 1.02]; P = 0.671) subgroups. There were no episodes of C-cell hyperplasia or medullary thyroid carcinoma in liraglutide-treated patients. CONCLUSIONS There was no evidence of a difference in calcitonin concentrations between the liraglutide and placebo groups, and no C-cell malignancies occurred in the liraglutide group.