Saxenda vs. Jardiance
See how Saxenda and Jardiance compare on approved uses, dosing, side effects, and cost.
Key Takeaways
Saxenda is FDA-approved for chronic weight management, while Jardiance is approved for type 2 diabetes, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease, not weight loss.
Saxenda is a daily injection from the GLP-1 class, while Jardiance is a once-daily pill from the SGLT2 inhibitor class, so how they work in the body is different.
Any weight loss with Jardiance is a secondary effect of the drug and using it specifically for weight loss would be off-label.
Saxenda vs. Jardiance Drug Summary
Saxenda
Saxenda (liraglutide) is a GLP-1 receptor agonist approved for chronic weight management in adults and adolescents 12 and older with obesity or overweight plus a weight-related condition. It is given as a self-injection once a day, with the dose increased gradually over several weeks.
Jardiance
Jardiance (empagliflozin) is an SGLT2 inhibitor approved to control blood sugar in type 2 diabetes and to lower the risk of cardiovascular death, heart failure hospitalization, and kidney disease progression. It is taken as a once-daily pill and is not approved for weight loss.
Saxenda vs. Jardiance Side Effects
Saxenda
Jardiance
Saxenda vs. Jardiance Dosage
Saxenda
Jardiance
| STAGE | DOSE | WHEN |
| Starting dose | 0.6 mg once daily | Week 1 |
| Maximum dose | 3 mg once daily | Week 5 onward |
| Dose changes | 4 increases | Every week |
| STAGE | DOSE | WHEN |
| Starting dose | 10 mg once daily | At the start |
| Maximum dose | 25 mg once daily | If needed |
| Dose changes | 1 increase | As tolerated |
Saxenda
| STAGE | DOSE | WHEN |
| Starting dose | 0.6 mg once daily | Week 1 |
| Maximum dose | 3 mg once daily | Week 5 onward |
| Dose changes | 4 increases | Every week |
Jardiance
| STAGE | DOSE | WHEN |
| Starting dose | 10 mg once daily | At the start |
| Maximum dose | 25 mg once daily | If needed |
| Dose changes | 1 increase | As tolerated |
Saxenda vs. Jardiance Indications
Saxenda
Saxenda is approved as a tool for long-term weight management, used alongside diet and exercise in adults with obesity or overweight who also have a weight-related health condition. It also has an adolescent indication for ages 12 to 17 with obesity.
Adults with obesity (BMI 30+)
Adults with overweight (BMI 27+) plus a weight-related condition
Adolescents 12-17 with obesity
Not approved for type 1 or type 2 diabetes
Jardiance
Jardiance is approved to manage blood sugar in type 2 diabetes and to reduce serious cardiovascular and kidney outcomes in adults with related conditions. It is not FDA-approved for weight loss, so any use for that purpose would be off-label.
Type 2 diabetes in adults and children 10 and older
Adults with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease
Adults with heart failure, any ejection fraction
Adults with chronic kidney disease
Saxenda vs. Jardiance Pros and Cons
Saxenda
Saxenda has the strongest, most direct evidence for weight loss of the two, since that is its actual FDA indication, but it requires a daily needle and carries GI side effects that can be hard to tolerate at first. Insurance coverage for weight-loss drugs is inconsistent, and the list price reflects that.
Pros
FDA-approved specifically for weight management, not a secondary benefit
Also approved for adolescents 12-17 with obesity
Long real-world track record since its 2014 approval
Cons
Requires a self-injection every day, indefinitely
Roughly $1,300 to $1,350 per month without insurance, before savings programs
Boxed warning for thyroid C-cell tumors seen in animal studies
Jardiance
Jardiance's weight loss effect is modest and not its intended purpose, so patients using it primarily to lose weight are using it off-label. Its real strengths are protecting the heart and kidneys in people who already have diabetes, heart failure, or chronic kidney disease.
Pros
Oral pill taken once a day, no injections
Also reduces cardiovascular death risk and slows kidney disease progression
Roughly $350 to $620 per month without insurance, before savings programs
Cons
Not approved for weight loss; any weight change is a secondary effect
Risk of genital and urinary tract infections
Risk of diabetic ketoacidosis, even with normal blood sugar levels
Common Symptoms and Related Diseases You Can Explore
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