Liraglutide vs NA-931
Comprehensive side-by-side comparison of mechanisms, dosing, side effects, and research
Also: Victoza, Saxenda
Liraglutide is a once-daily injectable GLP-1 receptor agonist, a synthetic peptide that shares about 97% of its sequence with the natural gut hormone GLP-1 but is engineered with a fatty acid chain so it survives in the body far longer. It is FDA-approved as Victoza for type 2 diabetes (2010) and as Saxenda for chronic weight management (2014), and is one of the most studied drugs in its class. As of 2024 a generic version is also FDA-approved.
Also: Bioglutide, cyclic glycine-proline
NA-931 (Bioglutide) is cyclic glycine-proline, a two-amino-acid ring that occurs naturally as a breakdown product of IGF-1. Its developer, Biomed Industries, describes it as an oral once-daily agonist at four receptors at once - IGF-1, GLP-1, GIP and glucagon - and has reported 13 to 15 percent weight loss in a 126-person Phase 2 trial. Those numbers have only ever appeared in conference abstracts, never in a peer-reviewed paper, and no trial results have been filed to ClinicalTrials.gov. The same molecule is already sold as a consumer brain-health supplement and as a Sigma-Aldrich catalogue chemical, which makes it unusually cheap to source and unusually hard to verify.
Key Comparison Insights
- Liraglutide is FDA approved, while NA-931 remains in research stages.
- Both peptides belong to the Weight Loss category, suggesting similar primary applications.
- Liraglutide has stronger research evidence (FDA Approved) compared to NA-931 (Phase II Completed, Unpublished).
Detailed Comparison
| Attribute | Liraglutide | NA-931 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Weight Loss | Weight Loss |
| FDA Status | FDA Approved | Not FDA Approved |
| Clinical Status | Pre I II III IV FDA | Pre I II III IV FDA |
| Mechanism of Action | Liraglutide binds the GLP-1 receptor, the same target as the body's own incretin hormone. The clever part is glucose-dependence: it tells the pancreas to release insulin only when blood sugar is high, and it dials down glucagon (the hormone that raises blood sugar), so it lowers glucose without the crashing lows that older diabetes drugs can cause. It also slows how fast the stomach empties, which blunts post-meal sugar spikes and keeps you full longer. In the brain, it acts on GLP-1 receptors in the hypothalamus to turn down hunger signals and turn up satiety, which is the main driver of the weight loss seen with Saxenda. | Cyclic glycine-proline is a diketopiperazine: glycine and proline joined into a small ring, 154 daltons, roughly a thirtieth the size of tirzepatide or retatrutide. The independent literature, mostly from Jian Guan's group in Auckland, describes a single mechanism: cGP competes with IGF-1 for binding to IGFBP-3, which frees up IGF-1 that was otherwise bound and inactive. That is a bioavailability effect, studied for stroke recovery, Parkinson's and blood pressure rather than for weight. Biomed's own patent filing (WO2025160184A1) goes much further, claiming the same molecule is a 'quadruple receptor agonist' at IGF-1, GLP-1, GIP and glucagon receptors. That claim is worth understanding properly, because it is the entire basis of the weight-loss story. GLP-1, GIP and glucagon receptors are class B GPCRs, the kind that normally need a thirty-plus residue peptide wrapping into the receptor's binding groove to switch on. A 154-dalton ring activating all three would be a genuinely significant pharmacological finding. No independent group has reported it. Searching PubMed for cyclic glycine-proline alongside GLP-1 returns nothing at all. |
| Common Dosing | 1.8-3 mg daily Once daily | 120 mg daily, oral Once daily |
| Administration | Subcutaneous injection daily | Oral capsule or tablet, once daily |
| Typical Duration | Long-term / chronic use | 28 days in Phase 1, 13 weeks in Phase 2 |
| Best Time to Take | Morning or evening, consistent daily | Consistent daily timing |
Possible Side Effects May vary by individual |
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| Research Summary | This is not a gray-area research peptide. Liraglutide has been through large, gold-standard human trials. The LEADER trial randomized 9,340 high-risk type 2 diabetes patients and found liraglutide cut the rate of cardiovascular death, heart attack, or stroke versus placebo (13.0% vs 14.9%, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2016). For weight, the SCALE program showed adults without diabetes lost roughly 8% of body weight at 56 weeks on the 3.0 mg Saxenda dose, far more than placebo. The most common side effects are gastrointestinal: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, especially during dose escalation. Its labeling carries a boxed warning about thyroid C-cell tumors based on rodent studies, though a clear human link has not been established. In short, the evidence here is strong and human, not preliminary. | There are no peer-reviewed publications on NA-931. Not one. Everything in circulation is a conference abstract, and the abstracts carrying the efficacy numbers list Biomed's CEO as sole author with conflicts declared as 'None'. Two trials have completed, both run entirely in Australia: a 74-person Phase 1 (NCT06615700, completed September 2024) and a 126-person Phase 2 (NCT06564753, completed April 2025). Neither has results posted. A third trial (NCT06732245) would run in the US, Australia and New Zealand, but has not started recruiting. The reported weight loss is where this gets difficult. The same 126-person Phase 2 has been presented three times with three different numbers: 14.8 percent at ADA in June 2025, 13.8 percent at ENDO in July, and 13.8 percent with a different placebo-adjusted figure in a September press release. Enrolment is given as 125 in the abstracts against 126 on the registry. A result that moves between presentations is not yet a result. The company's website states NA-931 is in Phase 3. No Phase 3 trial for NA-931 is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. The announcement traces to a single paid newswire release in January 2026, syndicated into around twenty local newspaper press-release sections, which reads like broad coverage but is one purchased placement. |
Frequently Asked Questions: Liraglutide vs NA-931
What is the difference between Liraglutide and NA-931?
Liraglutide is a weight loss peptide that liraglutide is a once-daily injectable glp-1 receptor agonist, a synthetic peptide that shares about 97% of its sequence with the natural gut hormone glp-1 but is engineered with a fatty acid chain so it survives in the body far longer. it is fda-approved as victoza for type 2 diabetes (2010) and as saxenda for chronic weight management (2014), and is one of the most studied drugs in its class. as of 2024 a generic version is also fda-approved. NA-931 is a weight loss peptide that na-931 (bioglutide) is cyclic glycine-proline, a two-amino-acid ring that occurs naturally as a breakdown product of igf-1. its developer, biomed industries, describes it as an oral once-daily agonist at four receptors at once - igf-1, glp-1, gip and glucagon - and has reported 13 to 15 percent weight loss in a 126-person phase 2 trial. those numbers have only ever appeared in conference abstracts, never in a peer-reviewed paper, and no trial results have been filed to clinicaltrials.gov. the same molecule is already sold as a consumer brain-health supplement and as a sigma-aldrich catalogue chemical, which makes it unusually cheap to source and unusually hard to verify. The main differences lie in their mechanisms of action and clinical applications.
Which is better, Liraglutide or NA-931?
Neither is universally "better" - the choice depends on your specific goals. Liraglutide is typically used for weight loss purposes, while NA-931 is used for weight loss. Always consult with a healthcare provider to determine which may be appropriate for your situation.
Can Liraglutide and NA-931 be used together?
Some peptide protocols combine multiple compounds for synergistic effects. However, using Liraglutide and NA-931 together should only be considered under medical supervision, as both compounds have their own side effect profiles and potential interactions. Research on their combined use may be limited.