Exercise + Liraglutide for Type 2 Diabetes

(ZQL007 Trial)

Overseen By Linda Jahn, RN, MEd

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Phase 4

Sponsor: University of Virginia

Must be taking: Oral hypoglycemics

Must not be taking: Insulin

Disqualifiers: Smoking, Hypertension, Obesity, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Prior Safety Data This treatment has passed at least one previous human trial

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: 16 weeks

60 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests how exercise, the medication liraglutide (an injection), or a combination of both can aid people with Type 2 diabetes by boosting heart and muscle blood flow, improving blood vessel function, and enhancing insulin effectiveness. Participants will be divided into three groups: one will exercise, another will take liraglutide, and the last will combine both. The study will last 16 weeks. It suits those who haven't used certain diabetes medications before, have stable blood sugar levels, and aren't facing severe health issues like heart or kidney disease. As a Phase 4 trial, this research aims to understand how an already FDA-approved and effective treatment can benefit more patients.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial does not specify if you need to stop your current medications, but it requires that you have been on a stable dose of your medications for more than 4 months.

What is the safety track record for these treatments?

Previous studies have shown that exercise helps control blood sugar levels in people with Type 2 diabetes. Most individuals tolerate regular exercise well, and it also reduces the risk of heart disease.

Research has shown that liraglutide is generally safe for people with Type 2 diabetes. It aids in weight loss and is associated with a lower risk of heart problems compared to a placebo. However, some individuals may experience side effects such as nausea or diarrhea.

The combination of exercise and liraglutide has also been studied. This combination aids in weight loss and improves overall health. The treatments work well together without major safety concerns. Overall, evidence suggests that both exercise and liraglutide are safe and effective for managing Type 2 diabetes. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers enthusiastic about this study treatment?

Researchers are excited about combining exercise with liraglutide for treating Type 2 diabetes because it targets the condition in a multifaceted way. While standard treatments often rely on medications like metformin or insulin to manage blood sugar levels, this approach integrates a GLP-1 receptor agonist, liraglutide, which not only helps control glucose but also supports weight loss. Exercise enhances insulin sensitivity and further aids in weight management, offering a comprehensive strategy that could improve overall metabolic health. This dual approach could provide better outcomes than using medications or exercise alone.

What evidence suggests that this trial's treatments could be effective for Type 2 diabetes?

Studies have shown that exercise can greatly help manage blood sugar levels and improve insulin use in people with Type 2 diabetes. Both aerobic exercises (like walking or cycling) and resistance exercises (like weightlifting) boost overall fitness and lower the risk of heart problems. Research indicates that liraglutide, a medication, effectively lowers blood sugar, aids in weight loss, and slightly reduces blood pressure. In this trial, participants will be assigned to different treatment arms: some will receive exercise alone, others liraglutide alone, and some a combination of exercise and liraglutide. Combining exercise with liraglutide may offer even more benefits, such as better blood sugar control and reduced body fat. Specifically, this combination has significantly reduced body fat percentage and improved heart and metabolic health markers. ^{1 3 4 5 6}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Zhenqi Liu, MD

Principal Investigator

University of Virginia, Department of Endocrinoolgy

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for adults aged 21-60 with Type 2 diabetes who have an A1C level of ≤8.5% and haven't used GLP-1RA or DPP4I medications. Participants should be on a stable dose of oral diabetes drugs for over four months, not taking insulin, non-smokers, with controlled blood pressure and BMI under 35. They must not have certain heart, lung, liver or kidney diseases, specific family cancer histories, vascular diseases or be pregnant.

Inclusion Criteria

I am between 21 and 60 years old.

I have been on the same dose of my medications for over 4 months.

Your A1C level is lower than 8.5%.

Exclusion Criteria

My family has a history of thyroid cancer or genetic syndromes affecting multiple glands.

My BMI is over 35.

I have a history of heart, lung, liver, or kidney disease.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive either exercise training, liraglutide treatment, or a combination of both for 16 weeks

16 weeks

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Exercise
• Liraglutide

Trial Overview The study aims to see if exercise alone, the drug Liraglutide alone, or both combined can improve blood vessel function and insulin sensitivity in people with Type 2 diabetes. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups and evaluated before and after the 16-week intervention period.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Liraglutide alone Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

16 weeks of treatment

Group II: Exercise Alone Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

16 weeks of treatment

Group III: Exercise + Liraglutide Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

16 weeks of treatment

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Virginia

Lead Sponsor

Trials

802

Recruited

1,342,000+

American Diabetes Association

Collaborator

Trials

148

Recruited

102,000+

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Collaborator

Trials

2,896

Recruited

8,053,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

Liraglutide is an effective treatment for type 2 diabetes, reducing hemoglobin A1c levels by 0.8% to 1.5%, and is safe for patients at risk of hypoglycemia due to its low incidence of this side effect.

It is particularly beneficial for overweight or obese patients, as it not only helps control blood sugar but also promotes weight loss of about 2%-4% of initial body weight, although nausea can occur but is typically manageable with careful dosing.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Clinical pearls for initiating and utilizing liraglutide in patients with type 2 diabetes. Gross, B.[2015]

Liraglutide (Victoza®) is an effective treatment for adults with type 2 diabetes, showing greater improvements in blood sugar control compared to placebo and other diabetes medications in multiple phase III trials.

It is generally well tolerated with a low risk of hypoglycemia, though common side effects include mild to moderate gastrointestinal issues like nausea and diarrhea, which tend to decrease over time.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Liraglutide: a review of its use in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Perry, CM.[2021]

Liraglutide, now available at a higher dose of 3.0 mg for treating obesity, has been shown to effectively control appetite and promote weight loss when combined with diet and exercise, based on results from the SCALE studies.

The drug is already established for managing type 2 diabetes at lower doses, and its mechanism of action includes effects on the endocrine pancreas and appetite regulation in the hypothalamus, indicating a dual benefit for patients with obesity and diabetes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[LIRAGUTIDE AT A DOSE OF 3.0 MG (SAXENDA): NEW INDICATION FOR THE TREATMENT OF OBESITY]. Scheen, AJ.[2016]

Liraglutide is an effective treatment for type 2 diabetes, showing greater improvement in glycemic control compared to other incretin-based therapies, with sustained benefits observed over a period of up to 2 years.

The medication is generally well tolerated, with a low risk of hypoglycemia and mild to moderate gastrointestinal side effects that decrease with continued use, while also offering additional benefits like weight reduction and improved beta-cell function.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Liraglutide in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Baruah, MP., Chaudhury, T., Sethi, BK., et al.[2018]

Liraglutide (Victoza) significantly improves glycaemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes, outperforming both placebo and other medications like rosiglitazone and insulin glargine in phase III studies.

It is generally well tolerated, with weight loss benefits and a low risk of hypoglycaemia, although gastrointestinal side effects like nausea are common but tend to decrease over time.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Liraglutide: a review of its use in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Croom, KF., McCormack, PL.[2021]

Liraglutide is an FDA-approved GLP-1 receptor agonist for treating type 2 diabetes, administered via subcutaneous injection, and can be used alone or with certain oral medications like metformin or glimepiride.

It is important to note that liraglutide is not recommended as a first-line treatment and is not approved for use in combination with insulin.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Liraglutide (Victoza) for type 2 diabetes. [2015]

Liraglutide, approved for Type 2 diabetes and chronic weight management, works by increasing insulin secretion and decreasing appetite, which helps promote weight loss.

Recent findings suggest that liraglutide may also protect against prediabetes and prevent bone loss by enhancing bone formation after weight loss, highlighting its broader health benefits.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Liraglutide for Type 2 diabetes and obesity: a 2015 update. Iepsen, EW., Torekov, SS., Holst, JJ.[2015]

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8802999/

Exercise/Physical Activity in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes Resistance exercise training in adults with T2D typically results in 10-15% improvements in strength, bone mineral density, blood pressure, lipid profiles, ...

2. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667036423000018

The importance of exercise for glycemic control in type 2 ... Habitual aerobic exercise helps manage blood glucose. Resistance exercise benefits insulin sensitivity in those with type 2 diabetes.

3. jamanetwork.com jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2799803

Effectiveness of a Community-Based Structured Physical ... This randomized clinical trial examines the effectiveness of providing varying frequencies of weekly structured exercise sessions to improve ...

4. frontiersin.org frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2025.1495131/full

Comparing the impacts of different exercise interventions ... Some studies have demonstrated that HIIT is equally effective in patients with T2DM (16), and can improve blood glucose and lipid levels in ...

5. diabetesjournals.org diabetesjournals.org/spectrum/article/18/2/88/1853/Physical-Activity-Exercise-and-Type-2-Diabetes

Physical Activity/Exercise and Type 2 Diabetes Large cohort studies showing that low aerobic fitness and low physical activity level predict increased risk of overall and cardiovascular disease(CVD) ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2992225/

Exercise and Type 2 Diabetes - PubMed Central - NIH Structured interventions combining PA and modest weight loss have been shown to lower type 2 diabetes risk by up to 58% in high-risk populations. Most benefits ...