Liraglutide (Saxenda, Victoza): Evidence and Reports
Also known as:
often mentioned with:
community guides:
Canada pages:
Anonymous user report. Not medical advice. Peptides discussed are not FDA-approved for the uses described. Editorial process →
What is liraglutide?
Liraglutide is a once-daily injectable GLP-1 receptor agonist from Novo Nordisk, sold as Victoza for type 2 diabetes and Saxenda for chronic weight management. In August 2025 the FDA approved the first generic version of Saxenda. It is an older, shorter-acting relative of semaglutide (semaglutide reports).
What the research says
In the 56-week SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes trial (3,731 adults), average weight loss was 8.0% with Saxenda-strength liraglutide vs 2.6% with placebo; 63% vs 27% lost at least 5% of body weight. That is less than later weekly drugs such as semaglutide and tirzepatide achieved in their own trials.
The most common side effects are nausea, diarrhoea, constipation and vomiting; the label also warns about pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, low blood sugar with some diabetes drugs, raised heart rate, kidney injury from dehydration and thyroid C-cell tumours in rodents. Last reviewed: October 2026.
Liraglutide vs newer GLP-1 drugs
Average results from each drug's own main weight trial; trials differ, so this is not a head-to-head comparison. Last reviewed October 15, 2026.
| Drug | How often | Average weight change in main trial |
|---|---|---|
| Liraglutide (Saxenda) | Daily injection | 8.0% vs 2.6% placebo, 56 weeks (SCALE) |
| Semaglutide (Wegovy) | Weekly injection | 14.9% vs 2.4%, 68 weeks (STEP 1) |
| Tirzepatide (Zepbound) | Weekly injection | About 15% to 21% vs 3%, 72 weeks (SURMOUNT-1) |
Teens and Canada
Saxenda is approved for weight management in adolescents 12 and older as well as adults. In Canada, see liraglutide in Canada, Saxenda in Canada and Victoza in Canada. Comparison: Saxenda vs Wegovy.
Anonymous liraglutide reports
If you have used Saxenda, Victoza or generic liraglutide, submit what happened.
Submit yoursCommunity Q&A
- Is Saxenda approved for teenagers?
- Yes, for weight management in adolescents 12 and older with obesity, alongside diet and exercise.
- How much weight do people lose on liraglutide?
- In the SCALE trial, average loss was 8.0% of body weight over 56 weeks vs 2.6% with placebo.
- Is there a generic liraglutide?
- Yes. The FDA approved the first generic version of Saxenda in August 2025; generic versions of Victoza were approved earlier.
- Is liraglutide the same as semaglutide?
- No. Both are GLP-1 receptor agonists from Novo Nordisk, but liraglutide is injected daily and semaglutide weekly, and semaglutide produced more weight loss in trials.
Sources
- STEP 1 — Wilding et al., Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity. N Engl J Med 2021
- SURMOUNT-1 — Jastreboff et al., Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity. N Engl J Med 2022
- SCALE Obesity — Pi-Sunyer et al., A Randomized, Controlled Trial of 3.0 mg of Liraglutide in Weight Management. N Engl J Med 2015
- Wegovy (semaglutide) prescribing information — DailyMed (NLM)
- Saxenda (liraglutide) prescribing information — DailyMed (NLM)
Anonymous first-hand reports plus sourced context — educational only, not medical advice. Editorial policy & corrections.