Saxenda (Liraglutide): Uses, Results, Side Effects
Saxenda is a daily injection of liraglutide made by Novo Nordisk, first FDA approved in 2014, for weight loss. List price is $1,349.02 per 5 pens before insurance. In the SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes trial, people lost 7.4% of body weight on average.
- Active ingredient
- liraglutide
- Manufacturer
- Novo Nordisk
- How it is taken
- daily injection
- First FDA approval
- 2014
- List price
- $1,349.02 per 5 pens
- Average weight loss in trials
- 7.4%
- Most common side effect
- Nausea 39.3% vs 13.8% on placebo
- FDA shortage
- On the FDA shortage list
Saxenda at a glance
Its half-life is about 13 hours: after 13 h, half is gone, and after five half-lives (2.7 d) about 3% is left
In SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes, 56 weeks, participants lost 7.4% of body weight, compared with 3% on placebo.
Sources: FDA label (DailyMed).
Saxenda uses and forms
For Saxenda, the FDA label lists the uses, forms and warnings. The label and your prescriber determine your dose.
| What the label says | |
|---|---|
| Approved use | For adults and children 12 and older (over 60 kg) with obesity, it is for weight loss and keeping weight off long term, with diet and activity. |
| Forms | Prefilled pen |
| Strengths on the label | dose strengths the pen delivers: 3 mg, 2.4 mg, 1.8 mg, 1.2 mg or 0.6 mg |
| Boxed warning | A boxed warning says rodents developed thyroid C-cell tumors because of it; whether it causes them in people is not known. Do not use it if medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) is in your personal or family history, or if you have MEN 2. |
| Storage | After a pen is used the first time, it may stay for 30 days in a fridge or at room temperature |
Sources: FDA label (DailyMed).
What the Saxenda trials showed
| Trial | Who took part | Length | Group | Average weight loss | Placebo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes | Adults who have obesity or overweight and did not have type 2 diabetes | 56 weeks | Liraglutide 3.0 mg daily | 7.4% | 3% |
Sources: FDA label (DailyMed).
Saxenda side effects
Each side effect is shown beside placebo (a dummy treatment), based on how often it appeared in the label's trials. Who was studied: adults with obesity, or who are overweight (weight management).
| Side effect | Saxenda Saxenda | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Nausea | 39.3% | 13.8% |
| Diarrhea | 20.9% | 9.9% |
| Constipation | 19.4% | 8.5% |
| Vomiting | 15.7% | 3.9% |
| Injection Site Reaction | 13.9% | 10.5% |
| Headache | 13.6% | 12.6% |
Sources: FDA label (DailyMed).
Label warnings: Hypoglycemia, Heart Rate Increase, Risk of C-cell tumors in the thyroid, Acute Pancreatitis, Acute Gallbladder Disease, Acute Kidney Injury due to Volume Depletion, Severe Gastrointestinal Adverse Reactions, Hypersensitivity Reactions
The label warnings come from the FDA (DailyMed) label.
Saxenda interactions
| Taken with | What the label says |
|---|---|
| Oral medicines | This medicine slows the emptying of your stomach, which may affect how your body absorbs other pills. |
| Insulin or sulfonylureas | When people with type 2 diabetes take it alongside insulin or a sulfonylurea, their risk of low blood sugar rises. |
Sources: FDA label (DailyMed).
Check a GLP-1 interaction
Saxenda cost and coverage
| How you pay | Price |
|---|---|
| List price before insurance | $1,349.02 per 5 pens |
November 2026 price check: Novo Nordisk pricing.
- Saxenda Cost
- Saxenda Coupon
- Saxenda Cost Without Insurance
- Saxenda Cost With Insurance
- Is Saxenda Covered by Insurance? Criteria, Copay, Appeal
- Saxenda at CVS
- Saxenda at Walmart
- Saxenda at Walgreens
- Cheapest Way to Get Saxenda
- Does Blue Cross Blue Shield Cover Saxenda? Criteria, Copay, How
- Does Cigna Cover Saxenda? Criteria, Copay, How to Appeal
- Does Aetna Cover Saxenda? Criteria, Copay, How to Appeal
Alternatives to Saxenda
| Medicine | Ingredient | How it is taken | Shared use | Trial weight loss | Self-pay from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Wegovy | semaglutide | weekly injection or daily tablet | weight loss | 14.9% | $149 per month |
 Zepbound | tirzepatide | weekly injection | weight loss | 20.9% | $299 per month |
 Foundayo | orforglipron | daily tablet | weight loss | 11.1% | $149 per month |
The Saxenda label and studies
See the complete DailyMed Saxenda label.
Every Saxenda page
Side effects and safety
Who this medicine is for
Comparisons with other drugs
Cost, savings and coverage
- Cheapest Way to Get Saxenda
- Does Aetna Cover Saxenda? Criteria, Copay, How to Appeal
- Does Blue Cross Blue Shield Cover Saxenda? Criteria, Copay, How
- Does Cigna Cover Saxenda? Criteria, Copay, How to Appeal
- Does Kaiser Permanente Cover Saxenda? Criteria, Copay, Appeals
- Does Medicaid Cover Saxenda? Criteria, Copay, How to Appeal
- Does Medicare Cover Saxenda? Criteria, Copay, How to Appeal
- Does UnitedHealthcare Cover Saxenda? Criteria, Copay, Appeals
- Is Saxenda Covered by Insurance? Criteria, Copay, Appeal
- Saxenda at Amazon Pharmacy
- Saxenda at CVS
- Saxenda at Walgreens
- Saxenda at Walmart
- Saxenda Cost
- Saxenda Cost With Insurance
- Saxenda Cost Without Insurance
- Saxenda Coupon