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.
August 2026 Update: Liraglutide Shortage Warning & Cipla Generic Launch
ASHP National Shortage Alert — Updated August 26, 2026: The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) updated its national shortage listing for liraglutide on August 26, confirming that multiple strengths and presentations of brand Saxenda, brand Victoza, and generic liraglutide remain in limited supply. ASHP attributes the shortage to manufacturing and shipping delays, with some products on allocation with uncertain restock timelines. If you use Saxenda or Victoza (or generic liraglutide), contact your prescriber well before your refill is due to plan ahead — backup options and potential switches to other GLP-1 drugs may be necessary. Source: ASHP Drug Shortage Database, August 26, 2026.
Cipla Launches Second Generic Liraglutide (February 2026): Cipla became the second company to commercially launch generic liraglutide injection (3 mg) in U.S. pharmacies, following Teva's original launch in August 2025. Liraglutide is now the only FDA-approved weight-loss GLP-1 with multiple generic competitors on pharmacy shelves. Increased competition is expected to drive prices down further over time, making liraglutide the most accessible GLP-1 on a cost basis. Note: the FDA has also proposed removing liraglutide from the 503B bulk compounding substances list, citing resolved drug shortages, which would effectively end compounded liraglutide access if finalized.
ENDO 2026: GLP-1s Associated with Reduced Physical Activity (June 2026): Research presented at the Endocrine Society's ENDO 2026 conference and tracked with NIH All of Us Program Fitbit data (753 GLP-1 users) found that average daily steps fell from 5,047 to 4,487, and moderate-to-vigorous exercise dropped from 28 to 22 minutes per day after starting a GLP-1 medication (including liraglutide, semaglutide, tirzepatide, and dulaglutide as a class). While the effect was modest, the finding reinforces the importance of structured exercise and activity planning for GLP-1 users — the medication reduces appetite and caloric intake, but does not automatically increase physical activity. Source: Endocrine Society ENDO 2026 / ScienceDaily, June 14, 2026.
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.