Aim To investigate the effect of a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA), liraglutide, on pancreatic volume, oedema, cellularity and DNA synthesis in humans. Materials and Methods We performed an open-label study in 14 obese men (age 38 +/- 11 years, body mass index 32 +/- 4 kg/m(2)) without diabetes. Subjects were examined at baseline, during titration (week 4) of liraglutide towards 3.0 mg/day, and 2 weeks after steady-state treatment (week 6) of a final dose of liraglutide. The primary endpoint was pancreatic volume determined by magnetic resonance imaging. Secondary endpoints included pancreatic oedema and cellularity, positron emission tomography-based [F-18]fluorothymidine (FLT) uptake (DNA synthesis) and plasma pancreatic enzymes. Results Plasma amylase (+7 U/L [95% confidence intervals 3-11],P < .01) and lipase (+19 U/L [7-30],P < .01) increased during liraglutide treatment. Pancreatic volume did not change from baseline to steady state of treatment (+0.2 cm(3)[-8-8],P= .96) and no change in pancreatic cellular infiltration was found (P= .22). During titration of liraglutide, FLT uptake in pancreatic tissue increased numerically (+0.08 [0.00-0.17],P= .0507). Conclusions Six weeks of treatment with liraglutide did not affect pancreatic volume, oedema or cellularity in obese men without diabetes. Keywords