Saxenda (Liraglutide)
The original daily-injection GLP-1 for chronic weight management — older than Wegovy and Zepbound, but still a useful option in the right scenario.
Before Wegovy and Zepbound dominated the weight-loss conversation, there was Saxenda. FDA-approved in December 2014, Saxenda is liraglutide dosed at 3.0 mg as a once-daily subcutaneous injection for chronic weight management. Its older sibling, Victoza, uses the same molecule at lower doses for type 2 diabetes.
In 2026, Saxenda is no longer the headline-grabbing GLP-1. Newer weekly drugs have larger trial weight-loss numbers and simpler dosing. But Saxenda is still prescribed, still covered by some insurance plans that won't pay for the newer drugs, and still useful when other options aren't available.
If a clinician is offering you Saxenda, or your formulary forces you to try it before stepping up to a newer GLP-1, this is the practical context you need.
What it is
Saxenda is liraglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist with a much shorter half-life than semaglutide. Where semaglutide stays in the body long enough to dose weekly, liraglutide requires a daily injection to maintain therapeutic levels. The pen is pre-filled and the injection goes into the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm.
The dose schedule starts at 0.6 mg daily for the first week, then steps up by 0.6 mg each week (1.2 mg, 1.8 mg, 2.4 mg) until reaching the 3.0 mg maintenance dose at week five. The slow titration mirrors what newer GLP-1s do across months; Saxenda compresses it into about a month of weekly increases.
Saxenda is FDA-approved for chronic weight management in adults with a BMI of 30 or higher, or 27 with at least one weight-related comorbidity. A 2020 label expansion extended approval to adolescents aged 12 and older with obesity. The drug is approved alongside diet and exercise, like every other GLP-1 in this category.
How it compares
Versus Wegovy (semaglutide 2.4 mg weekly), Saxenda produces less average weight loss in trials. SCALE trial data for liraglutide 3.0 mg showed mean weight loss in the range of 5 to 8 percent at one year, depending on the cohort. STEP 1 data for semaglutide 2.4 mg reported approximately 14.9 percent at 68 weeks. The gap is real, even allowing for trial design differences.
Versus Zepbound (tirzepatide 15 mg weekly), the gap is wider still. Tirzepatide's SURMOUNT-1 reported about 20.9 percent mean weight loss at 72 weeks. On efficacy alone, Saxenda is at the bottom of the modern GLP-1 weight-loss ranking.
Where Saxenda still wins is access. Some employer plans and Medicaid programs cover Saxenda but not Wegovy or Zepbound. Some patients tolerate liraglutide's daily titration better than the longer-lasting weekly drugs. And some adolescents under 18 (where the newer drugs are not approved or are less established) have liraglutide as the available option.
What to know if you're considering it
Things to plan for on Saxenda
Daily dosing is a discipline
Once-weekly GLP-1s forgive a missed day. Daily Saxenda needs a fixed time and a routine — most people pick morning or evening and stick with it.
Set realistic expectations
Trial averages are 5 to 8 percent at one year. That's clinically meaningful but lower than semaglutide or tirzepatide. Pair it with diet and movement.
Side effects are similar but compressed
Nausea, constipation, and fatigue still happen, but titration takes weeks, not months. Some patients ramp through these faster than they would on a weekly drug.
Common questions
Common Concerns
Is Saxenda the same as Victoza?expand_more
Why would a doctor prescribe Saxenda instead of Wegovy?expand_more
Will I lose less weight on Saxenda than Wegovy?expand_more
Can I switch from Saxenda to Wegovy?expand_more
Keep exploring
Browse all GLP-1 guides.