What Is Liraglutide?
Liraglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist manufactured by Novo Nordisk. Unlike once-weekly medications that followed it, liraglutide is administered as a once-daily subcutaneous injection. It is sold under two brand names: Victoza, approved for Type 2 diabetes in 2010, and Saxenda, approved for chronic weight management in 2014. Saxenda was the first GLP-1 medication specifically approved for obesity treatment.
How Liraglutide Differs from Semaglutide
Liraglutide and semaglutide are both GLP-1 receptor agonists, but semaglutide is more potent and has a longer half-life, enabling once-weekly dosing and producing greater average weight loss. Saxenda produces approximately 5–8% body weight reduction on average, compared to approximately 15% for Wegovy. Despite being less potent on a population level, liraglutide remains an option for patients who may not tolerate semaglutide or for whom insurance coverage favors it.
Dosing
Saxenda is started at 0.6 mg daily and increased by 0.6 mg each week until reaching the 3.0 mg maintenance dose. This gradual titration is designed to minimize nausea and other gastrointestinal side effects.
Common Side Effects
- Nausea — most common, particularly in early weeks
- Diarrhea and constipation
- Headache
- Low blood sugar (when used with other diabetes medications)
- Injection site reactions
July 2026: First Generic GLP-1 for Weight Loss
Teva Launches Generic Liraglutide (July 18, 2026): On July 18, 2026, Teva Pharmaceuticals received FDA approval and immediately launched the first-ever generic GLP-1 receptor agonist approved specifically for weight loss in the United States — generic liraglutide injection 3 mg (the equivalent of Saxenda). This is a historic milestone: the first generic GLP-1 for obesity management now commercially available. It covers adults and adolescents age 12 and older with obesity or a weight-related condition. Pricing has not yet fully stabilized, but generic competition is expected to significantly reduce the cost of liraglutide over time. Note that the FDA simultaneously has a pending proposal to restrict compounded liraglutide from bulk substances lists, meaning the generic commercial product will likely become the primary access path going forward.
Who Might Prefer Liraglutide
Daily dosing offers more flexibility in adjusting timing around nausea or other side effects. Some patients find that spreading the dose daily produces more consistent appetite suppression than a single weekly peak. Liraglutide may also be preferred by physicians for patients in whom once-weekly injection timing has been problematic.