Saxenda Timeline: Week by Week, What Changes and When
SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes ran 56 weeks. By the end, people on liraglutide 3.0 mg daily had lost 7.4% of their body weight on average, against 3% on placebo. Side effects are most common in the first weeks and after each dose increase.
- Average loss, top dose
- 7.4%
- On placebo
- 3%
- Trial length
- 56 weeks
- Trial
- SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes
Saxenda: a quick overview
With a half-life of about 13 hours, half leaves by 13 h. After five half-lives, or 2.7 d, about 3% remains.
In the SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes, 56-week trial, 7.4% of body weight was reported, with placebo at 3%.
From the FDA DailyMed label.
Saxenda timeline: the numbers first
| Trial | Dose group | Average weight lost | Placebo or comparison | Weeks | Who was in it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes | Liraglutide 3.0 mg daily | 7.4% | 3% | 56 | Adults who were overweight or obese, without type 2 diabetes |
Source: SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes (FDA label (DailyMed)).
The average, in pounds
The trial's 7.4% average covers three starting weights. This is simple math, not a prediction for any single person.
| Starting weight | Average loss on liraglutide 3.0 mg daily | Average loss on placebo |
|---|---|---|
| 180 lb | about 13 lb | about 5 lb |
| 220 lb | about 16 lb | about 7 lb |
| 260 lb | about 19 lb | about 8 lb |
From the FDA DailyMed label.
Week by week
- At first: stomach side effects occur most often while the dose remains low and is being raised. After each increase in the dose, these effects often return for a few days.
- In Week 56, SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes came to an end, and that is where the average loss above was measured.
Sources: health.clevelandclinic.org, PubMed.