Saxenda vs. Victoza
See how Saxenda and Victoza compare on approved uses, dosing, side effects, and cost.
Key Takeaways
Saxenda and Victoza both contain liraglutide, but Saxenda is FDA-approved for chronic weight management while Victoza is approved for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular risk reduction.
Saxenda's maintenance dose of 3 mg daily is higher than Victoza's 1.8 mg maximum, because effective appetite suppression requires more liraglutide than glycemic control does.
Both drugs are once-daily injections with the same boxed warning for thyroid C-cell tumors, so using Victoza for weight loss instead of Saxenda is considered off-label.
Saxenda vs. Victoza Drug Summary
Saxenda
Saxenda 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 injected once daily under the skin, with the dose increased gradually over four weeks up to a 3 mg maintenance dose.
Victoza
Victoza is a GLP-1 receptor agonist approved to improve blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes, including children 10 and older, and to lower cardiovascular risk in adults with diabetes and heart disease. It is injected once daily under the skin, with the dose increased over two weeks up to a 1.8 mg maintenance dose.
Saxenda vs. Victoza Side Effects
Saxenda
Victoza
Saxenda vs. Victoza Dosage
Saxenda
Victoza
| 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 | 0.6 mg once daily | Week 1 |
| Maximum dose | 1.8 mg once daily | Week 3 onward |
| Dose changes | 2 increases | Every week |
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 |
Victoza
| STAGE | DOSE | WHEN |
| Starting dose | 0.6 mg once daily | Week 1 |
| Maximum dose | 1.8 mg once daily | Week 3 onward |
| Dose changes | 2 increases | Every week |
Saxenda vs. Victoza Indications
Saxenda
Saxenda is approved for long-term weight management in adults with obesity, or overweight plus a condition like high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes. It is also approved for adolescents 12 to 17 with obesity, making it one of the few GLP-1 weight-loss drugs available for teens. Saxenda is not approved to manage diabetes on its own.
Adults with obesity (BMI ≥30)
Adults overweight with a weight-related condition
Adolescents 12-17 with obesity
Not approved for diabetes management
Victoza
Victoza is approved as an add-on to diet and exercise to improve blood sugar control in adults and children 10 and older with type 2 diabetes. It is also approved to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, or cardiovascular death in adults with type 2 diabetes and known heart disease. Using Victoza for weight loss instead of diabetes care is considered off-label.
Adults with type 2 diabetes
Children 10 and older with type 2 diabetes
Adults with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease
Not approved specifically for weight loss
Saxenda vs. Victoza Pros and Cons
Saxenda
Saxenda and Victoza share the same active ingredient, liraglutide, but are FDA-approved for different goals: Saxenda for weight management, Victoza for diabetes care. Because Saxenda's maintenance dose is higher, GI side effects tend to be somewhat more frequent, and its titration schedule runs about two weeks longer than Victoza's.
Pros
FDA-approved specifically for chronic weight management, not just diabetes
Approved for adolescents 12-17 with obesity
Higher maintenance dose (3 mg) targets appetite and weight more directly
Can be used by people without diabetes
Cons
Not approved to manage blood sugar or reduce cardiovascular risk
Higher dose is linked to more frequent nausea and diarrhea
Requires a longer four-week titration before reaching full dose
Victoza
Victoza is approved for treating type 2 diabetes and reducing cardiovascular risk, not for weight loss, even though its active ingredient is identical to Saxenda's. Its titration is shorter and its top dose is lower, which may mean fewer GI side effects for some patients, but also less weight loss if used off-label for that purpose.
Pros
FDA-approved to improve blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes
Also approved to lower cardiovascular risk in adults with heart disease
Approved for children as young as 10 with type 2 diabetes
Shorter titration schedule to reach maintenance dose
Cons
Not FDA-approved for weight loss, so that use is off-label
No pediatric obesity indication
Lower maximum dose (1.8 mg) may produce less weight loss than Saxenda's 3 mg dose
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