Liraglutide (Saxenda)

Pronunciation: lir-a-GLOO-tide.

Generic name
liraglutide
Drug class
GLP-1 receptor agonist for chronic weight management
Form
Pre-filled injection pen, 6 mg/mL, dose-escalated to a 3 mg/day maintenance dose
Route
Subcutaneous injection
Legal status
Prescription-only

Availability and supply rules vary by country

Trade names by country: United States · United Kingdom · Canada · Australia · New Zealand

Australia: Saxenda (5) · Full directory

What liraglutide is and how it works

Saxenda is a prescription-only injectable medicine (liraglutide) used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight management in adults and some adolescents with obesity, or with overweight plus a weight-related health problem. It is a GLP-1 receptor agonist that acts on appetite-regulating parts of the brain to reduce hunger and increase feelings of fullness. (1)

Saxenda is given as a once-daily injection under the skin, starting at a low dose and increasing weekly under your prescriber's direction until you reach the usual 3 mg/day dose. It is a different product from Victoza, which contains the same active ingredient but is used for type 2 diabetes at a lower maximum dose -- do not use the two interchangeably.

Mechanism of action: how liraglutide works

Liraglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist with 97% amino-acid sequence homology to native human GLP-1. It resists degradation by DPP-4 and neutral endopeptidase, extending its half-life to about 13 hours, and acts centrally on hypothalamic appetite-regulating pathways as well as slowing gastric emptying. (1)

What liraglutide is used for

Chronic weight management

Used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for long-term weight management in adults with obesity (BMI 30 or above), or with overweight (BMI 27-29.9) plus at least one weight-related health problem such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or type 2 diabetes. Also approved for some adolescents 12 and older with obesity, weighing more than 60 kg. (1) (3)

Before taking liraglutide

Do not take / not appropriate for

  • Do not use Saxenda if you or a family member have ever had medullary thyroid carcinoma, or if you have Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2. (all countries) (1)
  • Do not use Saxenda if you have had a serious allergic reaction to liraglutide or any of its ingredients. (all countries) (1)
  • Do not use Saxenda together with Victoza or any other GLP-1 receptor agonist medicine. (all countries) (1)

Tell your clinician about

  • Any personal or family history of thyroid cancer or endocrine tumour syndromes.
  • Any history of pancreatitis or gallbladder disease.
  • Diabetes and any medicines you take for it, especially insulin or sulfonylureas.
  • Any kidney problems, or a tendency to become dehydrated.
  • Any history of severe gastroparesis (delayed stomach emptying).
  • Pregnancy, plans for pregnancy, or breastfeeding.
  • All other medicines you take, since Saxenda can change how quickly some oral medicines are absorbed.
(1)

How to take liraglutide

  • Inject under the skin (abdomen, thigh, or upper arm) once daily, at any time of day, with or without food.
  • Your prescriber will start you on a low dose and increase it weekly over several weeks, as tolerated, to reduce nausea and other GI effects.
  • If you have significant GI side effects during dose escalation, your prescriber may pause or slow the increase.
  • Do not share your injection pen with another person, even with a new needle.
(1)

Procedures and treatment changes

Tell the treating team before surgery, procedures, or any medicine change. Do not alter treatment without the responsible clinician. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

Missed dose

If a dose is missed by less than 12 hours, take it as soon as possible. If more than 12 hours have passed, skip the missed dose and take the next dose at the usual time the next day -- do not take an extra dose to make up for it. If more than 3 days of doses are missed, contact your prescriber before restarting, as they may want you to resume at a lower dose.

Overdose

Seek urgent medical attention if too much Saxenda has been injected, especially with severe nausea, vomiting, or signs of low blood sugar such as shakiness, sweating, or confusion. (1)

Side effects

Side effects and their urgency vary; report severe, persistent, or concerning symptoms.

Nausea, which is very common, especially during dose increases.

What to notice: Nausea, which is very common, especially during dose increases.

What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (1)

Diarrhoea, constipation, or vomiting.

What to notice: Diarrhoea, constipation, or vomiting.

What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (1)

Injection-site reactions.

What to notice: Injection-site reactions.

What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (1)

Headache and fatigue.

What to notice: Headache and fatigue.

What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (1)

Indigestion (dyspepsia).

What to notice: Indigestion (dyspepsia).

What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (1)

Serious warnings

Possible thyroid tumour (medullary thyroid carcinoma) — boxed_warning

Symptoms: A lump or swelling in the neck, hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, or shortness of breath.

Action: Tell your prescriber promptly. Saxenda causes thyroid tumours in rodent studies; whether this happens in humans is unknown, and the medicine is not used in anyone with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2. (1)

Signs of acute pancreatitis — emergency

Symptoms: Persistent, severe abdominal pain, sometimes spreading to the back, with or without nausea or vomiting.

Action: Seek urgent medical attention. A clinician will assess for pancreatitis and decide whether Saxenda needs to be stopped. (1)

Signs of gallbladder disease (gallstones or gallbladder inflammation) — high caution

Symptoms: Pain in the upper right abdomen, fever, or yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice).

Action: Tell your prescriber promptly -- gallbladder problems are more common with Saxenda, and some require surgery. (1)

Signs of low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia), especially if also using insulin or a sulfonylurea — high caution

Symptoms: Shakiness, sweating, confusion, dizziness, or a fast heartbeat.

Action: Treat low blood sugar promptly as you have been taught, and tell your prescriber, who may need to adjust your other diabetes medicines. (1)

Signs of kidney problems (acute kidney injury), especially with ongoing vomiting or diarrhoea — high caution

Symptoms: Reduced urination, swelling, extreme tiredness, or confusion, particularly after prolonged vomiting, diarrhoea, or reduced fluid intake.

Action: Tell your prescriber promptly and keep well hydrated during any GI illness; kidney function may need monitoring. (1)

Signs of a serious allergic reaction — emergency

Symptoms: Swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat; difficulty breathing; widespread rash or hives.

Action: Seek emergency medical help immediately. (1)

Interactions

  • Saxenda slows stomach emptying, which can change how quickly some oral medicines taken at the same time are absorbed; your prescriber may want to monitor how well other medicines are working. (1)
  • Insulin and sulfonylurea diabetes medicines have an increased risk of low blood sugar when combined with Saxenda; your prescriber may adjust their dose. (1)
  • Combining with Victoza or any other GLP-1 receptor agonist medicine is not recommended. (1)

Pregnancy, breastfeeding, kidney/liver function, age

Pregnancy

Saxenda may cause fetal harm, based on animal studies, and intentional weight loss is not recommended during pregnancy since it offers no benefit and may harm the baby. If you become pregnant, your prescriber will advise on stopping Saxenda and discuss alternative care. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

Breastfeeding

There is no human data on whether liraglutide passes into breast milk; animal data suggest it does, at roughly half the level in the mother's blood. Discuss the benefits and risks with your prescriber. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

Children

Approved for some adolescents 12 years and older with obesity who weigh more than 60 kg, under specialist supervision; not established in younger children in most markets. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

Elderly

No specific dose adjustment based on age alone is described in the source reviewed, but older adults may have a higher chance of kidney problems or other conditions that need extra monitoring. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

Hepatic_impairment

Not specifically addressed in the source reviewed for this dossier -- tell your prescriber about any liver problems. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

Renal_impairment

Monitor kidney function closely, particularly if GI side effects cause reduced fluid intake or dehydration. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

Monitoring

Before starting

  • Personal/family history screening for thyroid cancer and MEN 2
  • Baseline weight, BMI, and relevant comorbidities
  • Review of other diabetes medicines

During treatment

  • Watching for thyroid lump/swelling, hoarseness, or swallowing difficulty.
  • Watching for persistent severe abdominal pain (pancreatitis) or right-upper-abdominal pain (gallbladder disease).
  • Blood sugar levels if also using insulin or a sulfonylurea.
  • Kidney function, especially with significant nausea, vomiting, or diarrhoea.
  • Heart rate, since a sustained increase can occur.
  • Weight-loss response, typically reassessed after around 12 weeks at the maintenance dose.
(1)

Storage

Store in the refrigerator until first use. Once in use, the pen can typically be kept at room temperature or refrigerated, away from direct heat and light, per the pen's specific in-use period -- follow the instructions supplied with your pen. Do not freeze, and discard if it has been frozen.

Professional information

Clinician-facing context only, sourced from the current US FDA prescribing information; verify against the current full label before prescribing.

United States

Indication: Chronic weight management as an adjunct to diet/exercise, in adults with BMI >=30, or BMI 27-29.9 with a weight-related comorbidity; adolescents 12+ weighing >60 kg with obesity

Dose summary: Weekly dose escalation: 0.6 mg (week 1), 1.2 mg (week 2), 1.8 mg (week 3), 2.4 mg (week 4), 3 mg maintenance (week 5+), subcutaneous once daily. Pediatric escalation may extend to 8 weeks with possible 2.4 mg maintenance if 3 mg is not tolerated.

Renal context: Monitor renal function in patients with GI-related volume depletion; specific dose adjustment not established in the source reviewed. (1)

Mechanism of action

Hepatic guidance

Not specifically addressed in the source reviewed for this dossier.

Overdose note

Manage overdose with supportive care, including treatment of severe GI symptoms and monitoring/treatment of hypoglycaemia if present; no specific antidote is described in the source reviewed. (1)

Frequently asked questions

Is Saxenda available in the US, UK, Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand?

Yes, it is approved and available in all of these regions for chronic weight management. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

Is Saxenda the same as Victoza or Ozempic?

Saxenda and Victoza both contain liraglutide, but they are different products: Victoza is approved for type 2 diabetes at a lower maximum dose (1.8 mg/day), while Saxenda is approved specifically for weight management at a higher dose (3 mg/day). They should not be used interchangeably. Ozempic contains a different active ingredient (semaglutide) and is a separate medicine entirely. (1)

Why does Saxenda cause nausea?

Nausea and other GI symptoms are very common, especially while your dose is being increased. This is a known effect of GLP-1 receptor agonists, which slow stomach emptying. Your prescriber may slow your dose increases if these symptoms are significant. (1)

What is the mechanism of action of liraglutide?

Liraglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist with 97% amino-acid sequence homology to native human GLP-1. It resists degradation by DPP-4 and neutral endopeptidase, extending its half-life to about 13 hours, and acts centrally on hypothalamic appetite-regulating pathways as well as slowing gastric emptying. (1)

What is the generic name of Liraglutide (Saxenda)?

The generic name is liraglutide. (1)

What class of drug is liraglutide?

Liraglutide (Saxenda) is classed as: GLP-1 receptor agonist for chronic weight management. (1)

References

  1. SAXENDA (liraglutide) injection, for subcutaneous use -- full prescribing informationU.S. Food and Drug Administration / DailyMed (NIH), full prescribing information, Novo Nordisk · United States · accessed 2026-07-29 · source 1
  2. Saxenda 6 mg/mL solution for injection in pre-filled pen -- Summary of Product Characteristicselectronic medicines compendium (emc), United Kingdom -- Novo Nordisk Limited · United Kingdom · accessed 2026-07-29 · source 2
  3. Saxenda (liraglutide) -- EPAR summary for the publicEuropean Medicines Agency (EMA) · European Union · accessed 2026-07-29 · source 3
  4. SAXENDA (liraglutide) Product MonographHealth Canada product monograph, Novo Nordisk Canada Inc. · Canada · accessed 2026-07-29 · source 4
  5. SAXENDA liraglutide 6mg/mL solution for injection pre-filled pen -- ARTG registrationTherapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), Australia · Australia · accessed 2026-07-29 · source 5
  6. Saxenda New Zealand Data SheetMedsafe (New Zealand regulator) · New Zealand · accessed 2026-07-29 · source 6

Brand names by country

Single-ingredient liraglutide names are shown separately by country. Product availability, strengths, and supply rules can change; combination products are not included here.

Priority countries

United States

  • Victoza6 mg/mL · novo nordisk
  • Saxenda6 mg/mL · a-s medication solutions

United Kingdom

  • Saxenda (2)MHRA licensed emc smpc confirmed · 6 mg/mL pre-filled pen · Novo Nordisk Limited

Canada

  • VICTOZA
  • SAXENDA

Australia

  • Saxenda (5)TGA ARTG registered 2015-12-24 confirmed · 6 mg/mL pre-filled pen · Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd

New Zealand

  • Saxenda (6)Medsafe approved confirmed · 6 mg/mL pre-filled pen · Novo Nordisk New Zealand Limited
View brands in additional countries.

European Union

Saxenda (3)

This page provides general reference information about Saxenda (liraglutide) and is not a substitute for advice from the prescriber managing your treatment. All dosing and treatment decisions should be made with your prescriber.

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