It is an anti-diabetic medication used to treat type 2 diabetes, and chronic obesity. It is a second-line therapy for diabetes following first-line therapy with metformin.

It is a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1receptor agonist) also known as incretin mimetics. lt works by increasing insulin release from the pancreas and decreases excessive glucagon release.

Gastrointestinal side-effects tend to be strongest at the beginning of treatment period and subside over time.

It was approved for medical use in the European Union in 2009, and in the United States in 2010. In 2021, it was the 166th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 3 million prescriptions.