Compounds / Liraglutide
Liraglutide
Saxenda, Victoza
Liraglutide is a GLP-1 medicine you inject once a day. It's sold as Saxenda for weight management and Victoza for type 2 diabetes1–2, and FDA has approved generic versions of both4.
- Taken
- Once a day, injection
- Half-life
- About 13 hours
- US status
- FDA-approved (Saxenda, Victoza, generics)
- Type
- GLP-1 agonist
What is liraglutide and how does it work?
Liraglutide is a daily injection that copies GLP-1, a gut hormone that helps control appetite and how much you eat. It is 97% the same as human GLP-1 and switches on the same receptor, including in the parts of the brain that regulate appetite1.
Natural GLP-1 lasts only 1.5 to 2 minutes in the blood before enzymes break it down. Liraglutide resists those enzymes and has a half-life of about 13 hours, which is why it is given once a day rather than once a week1.
What is liraglutide approved for?
Liraglutide is approved for weight management as Saxenda and for type 2 diabetes as Victoza in the US1–2. In the UK, Saxenda is licensed for weight, and liraglutide pens from other companies are licensed for type 2 diabetes3,7.
| Use | US | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Weight management | Saxenda: adults with obesity, or overweight with a weight-related condition, and children 12 and older with obesity who weigh more than 60 kg | Saxenda: adults with a BMI of 30 or more, or 27 to under 30 with a condition, and teens 12 and older with obesity who weigh more than 60 kg |
| Type 2 diabetes | Victoza: adults and children 10 and older | Generic liraglutide pens (for example Diavic): adults and children 10 and older |
| Heart risk with type 2 diabetes | Victoza: adults with heart disease | Not a listed use |
Sources: US labels section 1; UK SmPCs section 4.11–3,7. FDA approved the first generic versions of Victoza in December 2024 and Saxenda in August 20254.
Saxenda has stopping rules built in. In the US, adults stop if they haven't lost at least 4% of their starting weight after 16 weeks1. In the UK, adults stop if they haven't lost at least 5% after 12 weeks on 3 mg a day3.
What are the liraglutide doses?
Both brands start at 0.6 mg once a day for one week. Saxenda then goes up by 0.6 mg each week to 3 mg a day from week 5. Victoza goes to 1.2 mg, and to 1.8 mg if more blood sugar control is needed1–2.
| Week | Saxenda (weight) | Victoza (type 2 diabetes) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.6 mg | 0.6 mg |
| 2 | 1.2 mg | 1.2 mg |
| 3 | 1.8 mg | 1.8 mg, if more control is needed (maximum) |
| 4 | 2.4 mg | Stays on the dose reached |
| 5 onward | 3 mg (the adult dose) | Stays on the dose reached |
The 0.6 mg dose is only for starting. Adults on Saxenda who don't tolerate a step can wait about one more week, and teens can take up to 8 weeks to step up1–2.
Every pen holds 18 mg of liraglutide in 3 mL (6 mg/mL)1. The Saxenda dosage guide shows how many doses that gives at each step.
What are the side effects of liraglutide?
Nausea is the most common side effect of liraglutide, followed by diarrhea, constipation and vomiting. In the Saxenda weight trials, about 68% of adults had a stomach or gut side effect, compared with 39% on placebo1.
| Side effect | Placebo | Saxenda 3 mg |
|---|---|---|
| Nausea | 13.8% | 39.3% |
| Diarrhea | 9.9% | 20.9% |
| Constipation | 8.5% | 19.4% |
| Vomiting | 3.9% | 15.7% |
| Injection site reactions | 10.5% | 13.9% |
| Headache | 12.6% | 13.6% |
| Indigestion (dyspepsia) | 2.7% | 9.6% |
| Tiredness (fatigue) | 4.6% | 7.5% |
| Dizziness | 5% | 6.9% |
| Stomach (abdominal) pain | 3.1% | 5.4% |
| Burping (eructation) | 0.2% | 4.5% |
9.8% stopped Saxenda because of side effects, vs 4.3% on placebo1. At diabetes doses, nausea was 18% on Victoza 1.2 mg and 20% on 1.8 mg, vs 5% on placebo2.
Both labels carry a boxed warning: liraglutide caused thyroid C-cell tumors in rats and mice, and it isn't known whether it does in people. It isn't used by anyone with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or with MEN 2. Pancreatitis was confirmed in 0.3% of adults on Saxenda vs 0.1% on placebo. The other serious warnings are gallbladder problems, low blood sugar when taken with other diabetes medicines, a faster heart rate, kidney injury from dehydration, severe stomach problems, serious allergic reactions, and food entering the lungs under anesthesia1. The GLP-1 side effects guide explains how long stomach side effects tend to last.
How do you take liraglutide, and what if you miss a dose?
Liraglutide is injected under the skin of the belly, thigh or upper arm once a day, at any time, with or without meals. The US labels say to rotate injection sites within the same area1–2.
- Missed dose (US): skip it and take the next one at your usual time. Don't take an extra or bigger dose1–2.
- Missed dose (UK Saxenda): take it if you're within 12 hours of your usual time. If there are less than 12 hours to the next dose, skip it3.
- More than 3 days without a dose: the US labels say to restart at 0.6 mg a day and step up again1–2.
Before first use, keep pens in the fridge at 2°C to 8°C (36°F to 46°F) and never freeze them. After first use, a pen lasts 30 days at 15°C to 30°C (59°F to 86°F) or in the fridge, with the cap on and no needle attached1–2. The missed dose guide compares these rules with the weekly medicines.
How much weight do people lose on liraglutide?
In the main 56-week Saxenda trial, adults without diabetes lost an average of 7.4% of their body weight on 3 mg a day, compared with 3% on placebo. Most (62.3%) lost at least 5%, and 33.9% lost more than 10%1.
| Trial | Who took part | On liraglutide | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saxenda Study 1, 56 weeks1 | Adults with obesity or overweight, no diabetes | −7.4% weight (3 mg) | −3% on placebo |
| Saxenda Study 2, 56 weeks1 | Adults with overweight or obesity and type 2 diabetes | −5.4% weight | −1.7% on placebo |
| Saxenda Study 3, 56 weeks1 | Adults who had already lost at least 5% with diet | −4.9% more | +0.3% on placebo |
| Saxenda Study 4, 56 weeks1 | Teens 12 to 17 with obesity | BMI −4.29% | BMI +0.35% on placebo |
| Victoza monotherapy trial, 52 weeks2 | Adults with type 2 diabetes | HbA1c down 1.1 (1.8 mg) and 0.8 (1.2 mg) points | HbA1c down 0.5 on glimepiride 8 mg |
| LEADER (Victoza)2 | 9,340 adults with type 2 diabetes and heart disease | 13.0% had a heart attack, stroke or heart death | 14.9% on placebo |
In LEADER, Victoza lowered the risk of a heart attack, stroke or heart death compared with placebo (hazard ratio 0.87) in adults with type 2 diabetes and heart disease2.
How does liraglutide compare with semaglutide?
In the STEP 8 trial, adults without diabetes lost an average of 6.4% of their weight on liraglutide 3 mg a day and 15.8% on semaglutide 2.4 mg a week after 68 weeks. More people stopped liraglutide (27.6%) than semaglutide (13.5%)8.
Liraglutide is taken daily because of its 13-hour half-life, while semaglutide (Wegovy) lasts about a week1,5. The semaglutide overview covers its doses and uses.
Liraglutide fact sheet
- Also called
- Saxenda (weight)1 and Victoza (type 2 diabetes)2. FDA approved the first generic liraglutide referencing Victoza on December 23, 2024, and the first referencing Saxenda on August 27, 20254.
- Type
- GLP-1 receptor agonist, given as an injection under the skin from a prefilled pen (6 mg/mL, 3 mL)1
- Status (US)
- Saxenda: weight reduction in adults and children 12 and older who have obesity and weigh more than 60 kg, and in adults with overweight and at least one weight-related condition1. Victoza: type 2 diabetes in adults and children 10 and older, and lowering heart attack and stroke risk in adults with type 2 diabetes and heart disease2.
- Status (UK)
- Saxenda is licensed for weight management in adults with a BMI of 30 or more, or 27 to under 30 with a weight-related condition, and in teens 12 and older with obesity who weigh more than 60 kg3. The UK medicines list also shows liraglutide pens from other companies6.
- How it's taken
- Once a day, at any time, with or without meals. Inject under the skin of the belly, thigh or upper arm1
- Doses on the label
- Saxenda: 0.6 mg a day in week 1, then up by 0.6 mg each week (1.2 mg, 1.8 mg, 2.4 mg) to 3 mg a day from week 51. Victoza: 0.6 mg a day for 1 week, then 1.2 mg, and up to 1.8 mg a day if more blood sugar control is needed2.
- Half-life
- About 13 hours1–2
Liraglutide guides
Also useful: Dose schedule planner · Missed dose checker · Units to dose
Questions
Is liraglutide a daily or weekly injection?
Daily. Liraglutide has a half-life of about 13 hours, and the Saxenda label says that makes it suitable for once-daily use. Semaglutide (Wegovy) has a half-life of about 1 week, which is why it is a weekly shot.
What's the difference between Saxenda and Victoza?
Both are liraglutide in the same 6 mg/mL pen. Saxenda is for weight management and goes up to 3 mg a day. Victoza is for type 2 diabetes and goes up to 1.8 mg a day. The labels say not to use liraglutide together with another liraglutide product, and the Saxenda label says the same for any other GLP-1 medicine.
What if I miss a dose of Saxenda or Victoza?
The US labels say to skip it and take your next dose at the usual time. Don't take an extra dose or a bigger dose to make up for it. If more than 3 days have passed since your last dose, the labels say to restart at 0.6 mg a day. The UK Saxenda SmPC uses a 12-hour rule: within 12 hours of your usual time, take it; with less than 12 hours to the next dose, skip it.
Can I switch from liraglutide to a weekly GLP-1 like Wegovy?
The Saxenda and Victoza labels don't give a switching schedule. Saxenda's label says not to use it together with any other GLP-1 medicine, so it's one or the other. The Wegovy label starts everyone at 0.25 mg a week and steps up every 4 weeks. When and how to switch is your prescriber's call.
When does the Saxenda label say to stop if it isn't working?
The US label says adults should stop if they haven't lost at least 4% of their starting weight after 16 weeks. Teens 12 and older should stop if their BMI hasn't dropped by at least 1% after 12 weeks on the maintenance dose. In the UK, adults stop if they haven't lost at least 5% after 12 weeks on 3 mg a day.
Is there a generic liraglutide?
Yes. FDA approved the first generic liraglutide referencing Victoza on December 23, 2024, and the first referencing Saxenda on August 27, 2025. In the UK, the eMC medicines list also shows liraglutide pens from several other companies.
Sources
- 1Saxenda (liraglutide) injection: US prescribing information, Novo Nordisk (DailyMed, revised 02/2026). sections 1, 2.1, 2.2 (Table 1), 3, 5, 6.1, 12.1, 12.3, 14, 16 and 17
- 2Victoza (liraglutide) injection: US prescribing information, Novo Nordisk (DailyMed, revised 10/2025). sections 1, 2.1 to 2.3, 3, 6.1, 12.3, 14 and 16
- 3Saxenda 6 mg/mL solution for injection in pre-filled pen: UK Summary of Product Characteristics (eMC, text revised 11/2025). sections 4.1, 4.2, 5.2, 6.3 and 6.4
- 4FDA: Generic Drug User Fee Amendments, Performance Report to Congress, FY 2025. first generic liraglutide approvals referencing Victoza (December 23, 2024) and Saxenda (August 27, 2025)
- 5Wegovy (semaglutide) injection and tablets: US prescribing information, Novo Nordisk (DailyMed, revised 06/2026). sections 2.2 (Table 1) and 12.3
- 6eMC: search results for liraglutide (UK product list). accessed November 8, 2026
- 7Diavic 6 mg/1 ml solution for injection in pre-filled pen (liraglutide): UK Summary of Product Characteristics (eMC). section 4.1; accessed November 9, 2026
- 8Rubino DM, et al. Effect of Weekly Subcutaneous Semaglutide vs Daily Liraglutide on Body Weight in Adults With Overweight or Obesity Without Diabetes (STEP 8). JAMA 2022;327:138-150. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.23619; abstract
This page explains what labels and published studies say. It isn't medical advice and doesn't replace your prescriber or pharmacist.
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