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Liraglutide: What Lakeland Readers Should Know

Also known as: Saxenda, Victoza, generic liraglutide, GLP-1

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Last updated

At a glance

Type
GLP-1 receptor agonist
Human evidence
FDA-approved Approved by the FDA for specific uses after large clinical trials.
FDA status
FDA-approved (Victoza, Saxenda, and generics); compounded versions are not (as of April 30, 2026)
How it is given
Injection under the skin

Liraglutide is an older GLP-1 medicine, sold by Novo Nordisk as Victoza for type 2 diabetes and Saxenda for weight management. Generic versions are now FDA-approved too. This page is general information, not advice for your situation.

What it is and how it works

Liraglutide is a lab-made version of GLP-1, a hormone your gut releases after you eat. It is a 97% match to natural GLP-1, with a fatty acid attached that helps it last longer.1 Unlike the natural hormone, it resists quick breakdown in the body. It lasts about 13 hours, which is why it is given once a day.1

GLP-1 helps control appetite and how much people eat. The GLP-1 receptor (the “lock” the hormone fits into) is found in brain areas involved in appetite.1 Liraglutide was first approved in the U.S. in 2010.1

It is given as an injection under the skin once a day, with the dose raised week by week at the start.2 This site does not give dosing.

What the research shows (and where evidence is weak)

Liraglutide has been tested in large randomized controlled trials, where people are assigned by chance to the drug or a placebo (a dummy shot).

  • Weight. SCALE followed 3,731 adults without diabetes for 56 weeks, all with lifestyle counseling. People on liraglutide lost 8.4 kg (about 18.5 pounds) on average, versus 2.8 kg (about 6 pounds) on placebo. About 63% lost at least 5% of their body weight, versus 27% on placebo.3
  • Heart events. LEADER followed 9,340 adults with type 2 diabetes and high heart risk for a median of 3.8 years. A heart attack, stroke or heart-related death happened to 13.0% on liraglutide versus 14.9% on placebo. Heart-related deaths were also lower: 4.7% versus 6.0%.4

Where the evidence is weaker:

  • Smaller effect. In separate trials, average weight loss was smaller than with weekly semaglutide. The two were not compared head to head in the research behind this page.
  • Keeping it off. In a 3-year part of the SCALE trial, among people with prediabetes who kept taking liraglutide, fewer were known to have kept at least 5% off by week 160 than at week 56 (28% versus 56%). On placebo, the figures were 14% and 25%. The label calls these results descriptive.1
  • After stopping. In a Danish trial, weight regain in the year after stopping liraglutide was 6.0 kg greater than after stopping supervised exercise. People who had done both kept more weight off. Only 109 people attended this follow-up.5
  • Selected groups. One Saxenda trial enrolled only people who first lost weight on a diet. The label says its results may not reflect the general population.1
  • Who paid. Novo Nordisk funded SCALE. LEADER was funded by Novo Nordisk and the U.S. National Institutes of Health.34

FDA and regulatory status

Liraglutide is FDA-approved as:

  • Victoza (label revised October 2025): with diet and exercise, for blood-sugar control in adults and children 10 and older with type 2 diabetes, and to lower the risk of heart attack, stroke and heart-related death in adults with type 2 diabetes and heart disease.2
  • Saxenda (label revised February 2026): with a reduced-calorie diet and more activity, for long-term weight reduction in adults with obesity, or with overweight plus a weight-related condition, and in children 12 and older with obesity who weigh more than 60 kg (about 132 pounds).1 The label says not to combine it with other GLP-1 drugs.1

Generics. FDA approved the first generic liraglutide referencing Victoza on December 23, 2024, and the first referencing Saxenda on August 27, 2025.6

Compounding. On April 30, 2026, FDA proposed barring outsourcing facilities (large-scale compounders) from making liraglutide from bulk powder, finding no clinical need.7 As of November 13, 2026, we did not find a final FDA decision on that proposal. Check FDA’s announcement for updates.7 Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved.8 Our guide to compounded vs. FDA-approved peptides explains the difference.

Sport. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency says GLP-1 medicines are not prohibited in sport.9

Common side effects and safety

Stomach and bowel effects are the most common. In the Saxenda adult trials, nausea affected 39.3% of people versus 13.8% on placebo, diarrhea 20.9% versus 9.9%, constipation 19.4% versus 8.5%, and vomiting 15.7% versus 3.9%. About 1 in 10 (9.8%) stopped because of side effects, versus 4.3% on placebo.1

Victoza and Saxenda carry a boxed warning, FDA’s strongest kind. Liraglutide caused thyroid C-cell tumors in rats and mice. Whether it does in people is unknown. It should not be used by anyone with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or a condition called MEN 2.2

Other Saxenda label warnings include pancreatitis (an inflamed pancreas), gallbladder problems, low blood sugar, a faster heart rate, kidney injury from dehydration, severe stomach problems, allergic reactions, and breathing stomach contents into the lungs during anesthesia or deep sedation.1 In LEADER, gallbladder problems were reported in 3.1% on liraglutide versus 1.9% on placebo.2

The Saxenda label changed recently. A warning about suicidal thoughts and behavior was removed in February 2026, and the pregnancy section changed in 2025.1 Older websites and leaflets may not reflect this. Ask a provider about pregnancy plans.

Typical cost range

Official self-pay prices for Saxenda, Victoza or generic liraglutide were not part of this research. Prices vary between pharmacies and depend on your insurance. Ask your pharmacy or provider for a written price before you start.

What drives cost:

  • Brand or generic. FDA-approved generics have been available since 2024 and 2025.6 Ask your pharmacy how generic and brand prices compare.
  • Reason for use. Coverage may differ when it is prescribed for type 2 diabetes versus weight management. Ask your plan.
  • Daily use. It is a once-a-day injection, so pens and needles are a steady monthly cost.
  • Clinic fees. Visits, lab work and program fees may be extra.

Our cost guide and insurance, HSA and FSA guide explain what to ask.

Questions to ask a provider

  • Why liraglutide instead of a weekly drug like semaglutide or tirzepatide?
  • Is a generic version right for me, and is it covered by my plan?
  • How will you check for thyroid, pancreas and gallbladder risks before I start?
  • What should I do about nausea, and how do I reach you if side effects get worse?
  • How will we judge whether it is working, and when would we stop?
  • What is the plan for keeping weight off if I stop, including exercise?
  • What is the full monthly cost, including supplies, visits and lab work?

Footnotes

  1. Novo Nordisk. SAXENDA (liraglutide) injection: prescribing information. Revised February 2026. Accessed November 2026. https://www.novo-pi.com/saxenda.pdf ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11

  2. Novo Nordisk. VICTOZA (liraglutide) injection: prescribing information. Revised October 2025. Accessed November 2026. https://www.novo-pi.com/victoza.pdf ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  3. Pi-Sunyer X, Astrup A, Fujioka K, et al. A randomized, controlled trial of 3.0 mg of liraglutide in weight management. N Engl J Med. 2015;373(1):11-22. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1411892 ↩ ↩2

  4. Marso SP, Daniels GH, Brown-Frandsen K, et al. Liraglutide and cardiovascular outcomes in type 2 diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2016;375(4):311-322. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1603827 ↩ ↩2

  5. Jensen SBK, Blond MB, Sandsdal RM, et al. Healthy weight loss maintenance with exercise, GLP-1 receptor agonist, or both combined followed by one year without treatment: a post-treatment analysis of a randomised placebo-controlled trial. EClinicalMedicine. 2024;69:102475. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102475 ↩

  6. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Performance report to Congress: Generic Drug User Fee Amendments, FY 2025. 2025. Accessed November 2026. https://www.fda.gov/media/191187/download ↩ ↩2

  7. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA proposes to exclude semaglutide, tirzepatide, and liraglutide on 503B bulks list. Press release. April 30, 2026. Accessed November 2026. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-proposes-exclude-semaglutide-tirzepatide-and-liraglutide-503b-bulks-list ↩ ↩2

  8. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA clarifies policies for compounders as national GLP-1 supply begins to stabilize. Content current as of April 1, 2026. Accessed November 2026. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-alerts-and-statements/fda-clarifies-policies-compounders-national-glp-1-supply-begins-stabilize ↩

  9. U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. Weight loss drugs: what athletes need to know about GLP-1s. Accessed November 2026. https://www.usada.org/spirit-of-sport/weight-loss-drugs-glp-1s/ ↩

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Saxenda and Victoza?

Both contain liraglutide. Victoza is approved for blood-sugar control in type 2 diabetes and for lowering heart risk in adults with type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Saxenda is approved, with diet and activity, for long-term weight management.

Is there a generic version of liraglutide?

Yes. FDA approved the first generic version of Victoza in December 2024 and the first generic version of Saxenda in August 2025.

How does liraglutide compare with newer weekly drugs?

Liraglutide is a daily shot. In separate trials, average weight loss was smaller than with weekly semaglutide, but the two were not compared head to head in the research behind this page.

Does the weight stay off after stopping liraglutide?

Weight tends to come back after stopping. In one small study, people who had also done supervised exercise during treatment kept more weight off in the year after stopping.

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