Trulicity vs. Victoza
See how Trulicity and Victoza compare on approved uses, dosing, side effects, and cost.
Key Takeaways
Both Trulicity and Victoza are GLP-1 receptor agonists that lower blood sugar and reduce cardiovascular risk in adults with type 2 diabetes, but Trulicity is injected once a week while Victoza is injected once a day.
Trulicity's cardiovascular approval covers a wider group, including patients with either established heart disease or multiple risk factors, while Victoza's approval applies only to established heart disease.
Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and decreased appetite are common to both drugs, though Trulicity reports a higher top nausea rate at its upper dose range.
Trulicity vs. Victoza Drug Summary
Trulicity
Trulicity (dulaglutide) is a GLP-1 receptor agonist used to control blood sugar in adults and children 10 and older with type 2 diabetes. It also lowers the risk of major cardiovascular events in adults with heart disease or multiple cardiovascular risk factors. It comes as a prefilled pen injected under the skin once a week.
Victoza
Victoza (liraglutide) is a GLP-1 receptor agonist used alongside diet and exercise to control blood sugar in adults and children 10 and older with type 2 diabetes. It also lowers the risk of major cardiovascular events in adults with established heart disease. It is injected under the skin once a day using a prefilled pen.
Trulicity vs. Victoza Side Effects
Trulicity
Victoza
Trulicity vs. Victoza Dosage
Trulicity
Victoza
| STAGE | DOSE | WHEN |
| Starting dose | 0.75 mg once weekly | Weeks 1-4 |
| Maximum dose | 4.5 mg once weekly | If needed |
| Dose changes | 3 increases | Every 4 weeks |
| 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 |
Trulicity
| STAGE | DOSE | WHEN |
| Starting dose | 0.75 mg once weekly | Weeks 1-4 |
| Maximum dose | 4.5 mg once weekly | If needed |
| Dose changes | 3 increases | Every 4 weeks |
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 |
Trulicity vs. Victoza Indications
Trulicity
Trulicity is FDA-approved to improve blood sugar control in adults and children 10 and older with type 2 diabetes. It is also approved to lower the risk of major cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes who have established heart disease or multiple cardiovascular risk factors. Some doctors prescribe it off-label for weight loss in people without diabetes.
Blood sugar control in adults and children 10+ with type 2 diabetes
Reduces risk of major cardiovascular events in adults with established heart disease or multiple risk factors
Off-label: used for weight loss in people without diabetes
Victoza
Victoza is FDA-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 lower the risk of major cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes who have established heart disease. Its higher-dose version, Saxenda, is separately approved for weight management.
Add-on to diet and exercise for blood sugar control in adults and children 10+
Reduces risk of major cardiovascular events in adults with established heart disease
Same active ingredient as Saxenda, approved separately for weight management
Trulicity vs. Victoza Pros and Cons
Trulicity
Trulicity offers once-weekly dosing with a simple prefilled pen, and its FDA cardiovascular indication covers a broader group of patients than Victoza's. It has no generic equivalent, so its price stays fixed across pharmacies.
Pros
Only needs to be taken once a week, not once a day
Higher maximum dose (4.5 mg) available for added blood sugar control
Cardiovascular approval covers patients with either established heart disease or multiple risk factors
Prefilled pen automatically delivers the dose, no dialing required
Cons
No generic version available
Reported nausea rate is higher than Victoza's at its upper dose
Approved more recently (2014) than Victoza, with fewer years of real-world data
A missed or problematic dose cannot be adjusted until the next week
Victoza
Victoza requires a daily injection but allows finer, faster dose adjustments and has a decade longer track record than Trulicity. Its formula is also the basis for Saxenda, a separate higher-dose product approved for weight management.
Pros
Daily dosing allows quicker adjustment if side effects occur
Longer track record since its 2010 approval
Same active ingredient as Saxenda, a weight-management option
Only three titration steps to reach the maintenance dose
Cons
Requires an injection every day rather than once a week
Cardiovascular benefit is approved only for patients with established heart disease
Lower maximum maintenance dose (1.8 mg) than Trulicity's ceiling
Diarrhea can be more frequent when combined with other diabetes drugs
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