A pilot randomized controlled trial of liraglutide 3.0 mg for binge eating disorder

Objective: To assess the efficacy of liraglutide 3.0 mg, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, for binge eating disorder (BED). Methods: Adults with a body mass index (BMI) >= 27 kg/m(2) enrolled in a pilot, 17-week double-blind, randomized controlled trial of liraglutide 3.0 mg/day for BED. The primary outcome was number of objective binge episodes (OBEs)/week. Binge remission, weight change, and psychosocial variables were secondary outcomes. Mixed effect models were used for continuous variables, and generalized estimating equations were used for remission rates. Results: Participants (n = 27) were 44.2 +/- 10.6 years; BMI = 37.9 +/- 11.8 kg/m(2); 63% women; and 59% White and 41% Black. At baseline, the liraglutide group (n = 13) reported 4.7 +/- 0.7 OBEs/week, compared with 3.0 +/- 0.7 OBEs/week for the placebo group, p = 0.07. At week 17, OBEs/week decreased by 4.0 +/- 0.6 in liraglutide participants and by 2.5 +/- 0.5 in placebo participants (p = 0,37, mean difference = 1.2, 95% confidence interval 1.3, 2.0). BED remission rates of 44% and 36%, respectively, did not differ, Percent weight loss was significantly greater in the liraglutide versus the placebo group (5.2 +/- 1.0% vs. 0.9 +/- 0.7%, p = 0.005). Conclusion: Participants in both groups reported reductions in OBEs, with the liraglutide group showing clinically meaningful weight loss. A pharmacy medication dispensing error was a significant limitation of this study. Further research on liraglutide and other GLP-1 agonists for BED is warranted.