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

Most common
nausea (up to 39.3%)
diarrhea (up to 20.9%)
constipation (up to 19.4%)
vomiting (up to 15.7%)

Jardiance

Most common
hypoglycemia with insulin/SU (up to 41.3%)
urinary tract infection (up to 9.3%)
female genital mycotic infection (up to 5.4%)
increased urination (1% to 10%)

Saxenda vs. Jardiance Dosage

Saxenda

Dosage
Dosage Table
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

Dosage
Dosage Table
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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