Liraglutide (Victoza, Saxenda)
Liraglutide (recombinant DNA origin)
Approved status applies to specific products, routes, and indications, not every use context discussed online.
An FDA-approved once-daily injection that mimics a natural gut hormone to control blood sugar in type 2 diabetes (Victoza) and promote significant weight loss in obesity (Saxenda). A major heart health trial showed it also reduces the risk of heart attack and cardiovascular death.
Liraglutide (Victoza, Saxenda) is FDA-approved.
Use according to current labeled indication and prescribing guidance.
Safety Summary
GI adverse effects (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea) are dose-related, most common during initiation and dose escalation, and typically transient with continued use. Slow titration reduces GI intolerance. GI events are the most frequent cause of treatment discontinuation. A boxed warning exists for thyroid C-cell tumors observed in rodent studies (rats and mice) in a dose- and duration-dependent manner; human relevance is unknown. MTC remains a contraindication in at-risk patients. Long-term data (LEADER, real-world registries)(LEADER neoplasm report, Diabetes Care 41(8):1663; US cohort analysis PMC8203194; Korean nationwide cohort). Weight regain is typical after discontinuation (-4.3-7.3 kg within 6-18 months) with HbA1c deterioration toward baseline. Psychiatric signals (suicidal ideation/behavior) were identified in FAERS but FDA requested removal of this warning for the GLP-1 class in January 2026.
Clinical check-in
If real-world use or exposure is being considered, review potential interactions, contraindications, and monitoring needs with a licensed clinician rather than relying on summary copy alone.
Cited sources
Every claim on this page links to one of the 11 sources below. Identifiers are PubMed (PMID), ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT), or DOI; click through to the source of record before acting on a claim.
- 1PMID 27295427PubMed
- 2PMID 26132939PubMed
- 3PMID 18931095PubMed
- 4PMID 18819705PubMed
- 5PMID 19289857PubMed
- 6PMID 19688338PubMed
- 7PMID 19515449PubMed
- 8PMID 32139381PubMed
- 9EVIDENCE Study: Prospective 2-year post-marketing registry of liraglutide in T2DMReference
- 10Liraglutide in mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (ELAD trial)Reference
- 11Neoplasms Reported With Liraglutide or Placebo in the LEADER TrialReference