Liraglutide: Victoza, Saxenda and the generics
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The short answer
Liraglutide is a once-daily GLP-1 injection, sold as Victoza for type 2 diabetes and Saxenda for weight management, plus FDA-approved generics. It isn't semaglutide: in the STEP 8 trial, weekly semaglutide produced 15.8% average weight loss at 68 weeks versus 6.4% with daily liraglutide. Brand Saxenda is listed for discontinuation in January 2027.
Definition
Liraglutide is a once-daily GLP-1 receptor agonist injection. It's FDA-approved as Victoza for type 2 diabetes (January 25, 2010) and as Saxenda for chronic weight management (December 23, 2014), and FDA-approved generics now reference both.
Key facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Drug class | GLP-1 receptor agonist, once-daily injection |
| Brands | Victoza (type 2 diabetes, January 25, 2010); Saxenda (chronic weight management, December 23, 2014)[2] |
| Generics | FDA-approved generics reference both Victoza and Saxenda[4] |
| Supply | FDA lists liraglutide injection in shortage; brand Saxenda is listed for discontinuation in January 2027[1] |
| Prescription | Required |
Liraglutide was the GLP-1 drug before Ozempic and Wegovy. It's still prescribed, it now comes as generics, and it's the reason many people ask whether Saxenda and Wegovy are the same thing. They aren't. This page explains the two brands, how liraglutide compares with semaglutide in the one trial that tested them head to head, and where its supply is going. For the newer weekly drug, see the semaglutide guide.
Liraglutide is an older GLP-1 shot you take every day
Liraglutide works like the other GLP-1 drugs. It acts on the receptor for GLP-1, a gut hormone that helps control blood sugar and appetite. What sets it apart is the schedule: it's injected once a day, while semaglutide and tirzepatide are weekly shots.
That daily schedule comes from its build. Liraglutide clears the body faster than the newer drugs, so it needs a dose every day to keep working. For many people the weekly drugs are simply easier to stay on, which is part of why prescribing has shifted toward them.
Victoza and Saxenda: one molecule, two labels
Both brands are made by Novo Nordisk, and both contain liraglutide in a daily prefilled pen. The difference is the job each label covers and how high the dose goes.
| Victoza | Saxenda | |
|---|---|---|
| Approved for | Blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes; cutting heart-attack and stroke risk in type 2 diabetes with heart disease | Weight management |
| Ages | Adults and children 10 and older with type 2 diabetes | Adults, and children 12 and older who weigh more than 132 pounds (60 kg) and have obesity |
| Label dose | Starts at 0.6 mg daily; up to 1.8 mg daily | Starts at 0.6 mg daily; the recommended dose is 3 mg daily |
| First approval | January 25, 2010 | December 23, 2014 |
| Generic | Yes, since December 2024 | Yes, since August 2025 |
Victoza label [8]; Saxenda label [7]; approval dates from Drugs@FDA [2] [3]; generics from FDA [4] [5].
Victoza's label grew over time. It added a heart-risk indication on August 25, 2017, based on the LEADER trial, and children 10 and older on June 17, 2019. Saxenda added teens 12 and older on December 4, 2020 [2] [3].
Is liraglutide the same as semaglutide, Ozempic or Wegovy? No
They're different molecules, both from Novo Nordisk and both GLP-1 drugs. Saxenda isn't Wegovy, and Victoza isn't Ozempic. The pairs line up by job: Victoza and Ozempic are the diabetes brands; Saxenda and Wegovy are the weight brands. This table answers the common "is X the same as Y" questions in one place.
| Liraglutide | Semaglutide | |
|---|---|---|
| Brands | Victoza, Saxenda, generics | Ozempic, Wegovy, Ozempic tablets, Rybelsus, Wegovy pill |
| How often | Injection once a day | Injection once a week, or a daily tablet |
| First FDA approval | 2010 (Victoza) | 2017 (Ozempic) |
| Main weight trial vs placebo | SCALE: −18.5 lb vs −6.2 lb (−8.4 kg vs −2.8 kg) at 56 weeks | STEP 1: −14.9% vs −2.4% at 68 weeks |
| Head to head (STEP 8) | −6.4% at 68 weeks | −15.8% at 68 weeks |
| Heart-outcome trial | LEADER (type 2 diabetes) | SUSTAIN-6 (type 2 diabetes); SELECT (heart disease, people without diabetes) |
SCALE [9]; STEP 1 [13]; STEP 8 [12]; LEADER [10]; semaglutide brands and dates from the Ozempic and Wegovy guides.
STEP 8 is the key result. It randomized 338 adults with overweight or obesity and no diabetes to weekly semaglutide 2.4 mg or daily liraglutide 3 mg for 68 weeks. Average weight loss was 15.8% with semaglutide and 6.4% with liraglutide. More than twice as many people stopped liraglutide for any reason (27.6% against 13.5%) [12]. Novo Nordisk, which makes both drugs, employed several of the authors. For the full picture of the weekly drug, see the Wegovy guide and the Ozempic guide.
Liraglutide's own trials showed modest weight loss and a heart benefit
| Trial | Who was in it | Result |
|---|---|---|
| SCALE [9] | 3,731 adults with obesity or overweight, no type 2 diabetes | −18.5 lb vs −6.2 lb (−8.4 kg vs −2.8 kg) at 56 weeks; 63.2% lost at least 5% vs 27.1% |
| LEADER [10] | 9,340 adults with type 2 diabetes and high heart risk | Heart attack, stroke or heart death 13.0% vs 14.9%; death from any cause also lower |
| SCALE Teens [11] | 251 teens aged 12 to 17 with obesity | More teens cut BMI by at least 5% (43.3% vs 18.7%); BMI rose again after stopping |
| STEP 8 [12] | 338 adults with overweight or obesity, no diabetes | −6.4% vs −15.8% on semaglutide at 68 weeks |
Novo Nordisk funded SCALE, SCALE Teens and LEADER (LEADER with the National Institutes of Health). STEP 8's authors include Novo Nordisk employees.
Read together, the trials show a drug that works, though less strongly than the weekly options that followed it. LEADER is liraglutide's strongest result: in people with type 2 diabetes at high heart risk, it lowered heart attacks, strokes and heart deaths over about four years [10]. That's why Victoza carries a heart-risk indication. Saxenda doesn't.
Side effects are mostly digestive, and the label adds a heart-rate warning
Nausea and diarrhea were the most common side effects in SCALE, mostly mild or moderate. Serious adverse events occurred in 6.2% of people on liraglutide and 5.0% on placebo [9]. Victoza's most common side effects are nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, decreased appetite, indigestion and constipation [8].
- Boxed warning. Like the other GLP-1 drugs, liraglutide carries a warning about thyroid C-cell tumors seen in rodents. It isn't for people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or MEN 2 [7].
- Saxenda warnings. Pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, low blood sugar when used with diabetes medicines, a rise in heart rate, kidney injury, severe digestive reactions, allergic reactions, and aspiration risk under anesthesia [7].
Generics are here, supply is tight, and brand Saxenda is ending
Liraglutide's supply story moved fast. Here's the timeline from FDA's own pages.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| July 18, 2023 | FDA first lists liraglutide injection in shortage |
| December 23, 2024 | FDA approves the first generic liraglutide, referencing Victoza |
| August 2025 | FDA approves the first generic referencing Saxenda |
| April 30, 2026 | FDA proposes leaving liraglutide off the list outsourcing facilities may compound from |
| As of this update | Shortage still listed; brand Saxenda available until discontinuation in January 2027 |
FDA shortage database [1]; FDA generic approval [4]; FDA GDUFA FY2025 report (month only) [5]; Federal Register proposal [6].
The shortage listing is mixed product by product: some generic versions show as available while the brand pens show limited availability [1]. If you're on Saxenda now, the change in 2027 is a conversation to have early. Your prescriber decides whether a generic or a different drug fits you; there's no dose conversion to work out yourself.
Some telehealth services also offer compounded liraglutide. Compounded drugs aren't FDA-approved, and FDA doesn't review them for safety, effectiveness or quality before they're sold. The FDA proposal above concerns that market; the compounded semaglutide guide explains how the same rules apply to semaglutide.
Can you take liraglutide with semaglutide? Saxenda's label says no
Saxenda's label says using it with other liraglutide products "or with any other glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist is not recommended" [7]. That covers semaglutide and tirzepatide. Victoza's label names other liraglutide products only [8], but the same two drugs act on the same receptor, so ask your prescriber before combining any GLP-1 drugs.
Liraglutide needs a prescription, often filled as a generic now
Liraglutide is prescription-only. Your own doctor can prescribe Victoza, Saxenda or a generic, and some telehealth services prescribe it too. The providers listed on this page show who offers it. If you're choosing between liraglutide and a weekly drug, the semaglutide vs tirzepatide comparison covers the two weekly options, and the tirzepatide guide and Mounjaro guide cover Lilly's version.
Compare providers
Providers that offer Liraglutide
- Ro review →
Ro
You want an FDA-approved GLP-1, such as the Wegovy pill, Foundayo or Zepbound, at a published cash price for each dose, or help getting a pen covered by insurance.
- WeightWatchers Clinic (WW Med+) review →
WeightWatchers Clinic (WW Med+)
You want approved brand medication alongside WeightWatchers’ nutrition and behavior-support structure, and you are comfortable comparing a clinical membership with a separate pharmacy purchase.
- Defy Medical review →
Defy Medical
You want a GLP-1 prescribed after real testing and a long conversation, you'd like the choice of a shot, a dissolving tablet or drops, and you prefer paying per visit to a monthly plan.
- ElitePhysiqMD review →
ElitePhysiqMD
You want a live video visit with a physician before you start, and you plan to stay long enough for the membership's free shipping and visit fees to pay off.
- Henry Meds review →
Henry Meds
You want compounded semaglutide injections with visits and supplies in one monthly bill, the option of a video visit, and no long-term contract.
See all 21 providers on the brand Wegovy and Zepbound lineup →
Frequently asked
- Is Saxenda the same as Wegovy?
- No. Saxenda is liraglutide, injected daily. Wegovy is semaglutide, injected weekly or taken as a daily pill. Both are weight-management drugs from Novo Nordisk, but in the STEP 8 trial semaglutide produced 15.8% average weight loss against 6.4% with liraglutide.
- Is Victoza the same as Ozempic?
- No. Both are type 2 diabetes drugs from Novo Nordisk, but Victoza is liraglutide, taken daily, and Ozempic is semaglutide, taken weekly. They have different trials, doses and labels.
- Is there generic Saxenda?
- Yes. FDA approved the first generic liraglutide referencing Saxenda in August 2025, after the first Victoza-referenced generic in December 2024. Availability varies by product on FDA's shortage page.
- Is Saxenda being discontinued?
- Yes. Right now, FDA's shortage page says brand Saxenda will be available until it's discontinued in January 2027. Generic liraglutide referencing Saxenda remains FDA-approved. Talk to your prescriber about what comes next for you.
- Which works better for weight, Saxenda or Ozempic?
- Ozempic isn't approved for weight loss, so there's no labeled comparison. Its weight-labeled twin, Wegovy, beat liraglutide head to head in STEP 8: 15.8% against 6.4% average weight loss at 68 weeks.
Sources
- [1] FDA Drug Shortages: Liraglutide Injection (reverified October 2026) (2026). FDA
- [2] Drugs@FDA: Victoza (liraglutide), NDA 022341 (2026). FDA
- [3] Drugs@FDA: Saxenda (liraglutide), NDA 206321 (2026). FDA
- [4] FDA Approves First Generic of Once-Daily GLP-1 Injection to Lower Blood Sugar in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes (December 23, 2024) (2024). FDA
- [5] FDA Office of Generic Drugs, GDUFA FY2025 report (2025). FDA
- [6] Federal Register 2026-08552: List of Bulk Drug Substances for Which There Is a Clinical Need Under Section 503B (May 1, 2026) (2026). FDA
- [7] Saxenda (liraglutide) injection: prescribing information, DailyMed (2026). DailyMed label
- [8] Victoza (liraglutide) injection: prescribing information, DailyMed (2025). DailyMed label
- [9] Pi-Sunyer X. A Randomized, Controlled Trial of 3.0 mg of Liraglutide in Weight Management (2015). PMID 26132939
- [10] Marso SP. Liraglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes (2016). PMID 27295427
- [11] Kelly AS. A Randomized, Controlled Trial of Liraglutide for Adolescents with Obesity (2020). PMID 32233338
- [12] Rubino DM. Effect of Weekly Subcutaneous Semaglutide vs Daily Liraglutide on Body Weight in Adults With Overweight or Obesity Without Diabetes: The STEP 8 Randomized Clinical Trial (2022). PMID 35015037
- [13] Wilding JPH. Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity (2021). PMID 33567185