Liraglutide vs semaglutide: in the only head-to-head weight-loss trial, STEP 8, weekly semaglutide (Wegovy) produced 15.8% average weight loss over 68 weeks, versus 6.4% with daily liraglutide (Saxenda).[1] Semaglutide is injected once a week; liraglutide every day.[2][3] Liraglutide’s main advantage now is cost: generic versions are available, while semaglutide has no US generic.[11][12]
For the full profiles, see liraglutide and semaglutide. Both belong to our GLP-1 drugs hub.
Liraglutide vs semaglutide at a glance
| Liraglutide | Semaglutide | |
|---|---|---|
| Brands | Victoza (diabetes), Saxenda (weight), generics[4][2] | Ozempic (diabetes), Wegovy (weight), Rybelsus[5][3] |
| Dosing | Once daily injection[2] | Once weekly injection, or daily pill[3] |
| Half-life | About 13 hours[2] | About 1 week[3] |
| Weight dose | 3 mg daily (Saxenda)[2] | 2.4 mg weekly; up to 7.2 mg (Wegovy)[3] |
| Head-to-head weight loss (STEP 8) | −6.4%[1] | −15.8%[1] |
| Teens approved | 12+ and over 60 kg (Saxenda)[2] | 12+ (Wegovy injection)[3] |
| Generic in US | Yes[11][12] | No |
Two generations of the same idea
Both drugs were developed by Novo Nordisk to copy GLP-1, a gut hormone that lasts only minutes in the body. Liraglutide, approved as Victoza in 2010, added a fatty acid chain so the drug binds albumin in the blood and lasts about 13 hours.[2] Semaglutide refined that design with further changes, stretching its half-life to about a week.[3]
The longer action allows weekly dosing, and the approved semaglutide doses produce a stronger effect. In practice, that is why semaglutide largely replaced liraglutide for weight management, while liraglutide remains useful where cost, coverage or a preference for daily dosing matters.
Saxenda vs Wegovy: the STEP 8 trial
STEP 8 randomized 338 US adults with obesity or overweight, without diabetes, to weekly semaglutide 2.4 mg or daily liraglutide 3.0 mg (each against placebo) for 68 weeks, with diet and activity counseling.[1]
| Outcome at 68 weeks | Semaglutide 2.4 mg | Liraglutide 3.0 mg | Placebo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average weight change | −15.8% | −6.4% | −1.9% |
| Lost 10% or more | 70.9% | 25.6% | — |
| Lost 15% or more | 55.6% | 12.0% | — |
| Lost 20% or more | 38.5% | 6.0% | — |
| Stopped treatment for any reason | 13.5% | 27.6% | — |
| Stomach side effects | 84.1% | 82.7% | — |
All results from STEP 8.[1]
Victoza vs Ozempic for type 2 diabetes
In SUSTAIN 10, 577 adults with type 2 diabetes on oral medicines were randomized to semaglutide 1 mg weekly (Ozempic) or liraglutide 1.2 mg daily (Victoza) for 30 weeks.[6]
- HbA1c: fell 1.7 points with semaglutide versus 1.0 with liraglutide.
- Weight: fell 5.8 kg versus 1.9 kg.
- Side effects: stomach side effects were more common with semaglutide (43.9% vs 38.3%), as was stopping early because of side effects (11.4% vs 6.6%).
Victoza can be increased to 1.8 mg, a dose SUSTAIN 10 did not test, and Ozempic now goes up to 2 mg.[4][5]
Daily vs weekly dosing
Liraglutide lasts about 13 hours in the body, so it is injected every day. Saxenda starts at 0.6 mg and rises weekly to 3 mg; Victoza starts at 0.6 mg and goes up to 1.8 mg.[2][4] Semaglutide lasts about a week. Wegovy starts at 0.25 mg and rises every 4 weeks to 2.4 mg, with an optional 7.2 mg dose for some adults.[3]
Practical differences:
- Faster titration: Saxenda reaches its full dose in about 5 weeks; Wegovy takes 16 weeks to reach 2.4 mg.[2][3]
- Missed doses: if more than 3 days of liraglutide are missed, the label says to restart at the starting dose.[2][4]
- Injections per month: about 30 for liraglutide versus 4 for semaglutide.
Heart outcomes
- Liraglutide (LEADER): in 9,340 people with type 2 diabetes at high heart risk, heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death fell from 14.9% to 13.0%.[9]
- Semaglutide (SELECT): in 17,604 adults with heart disease and overweight but no diabetes, those events fell from 8.0% to 6.5%.[10]
Victoza and Ozempic both carry heart-risk indications for type 2 diabetes; only Wegovy has one for people without diabetes.[4][5][3]
Side effects compared
The side effects are the same type for both: nausea, diarrhea, constipation and vomiting, mostly while the dose is rising.[2][3] On the Saxenda label, nausea affected 39.3% of adults versus 13.8% on placebo.[2] Both carry the boxed warning about thyroid C-cell tumors in rodents.[2][3]
A 2026 BMJ network meta-analysis found liraglutide was among the weight-loss drugs most often stopped because of side effects.[15]
Generic liraglutide and the cost advantage
- December 2024: FDA approved the first generic referencing Victoza, for type 2 diabetes.[11]
- August 2025: Teva’s generic referencing Saxenda was approved, the first generic GLP-1 for weight management.[12]
- Brand Saxenda: FDA’s shortage database lists it as “to be discontinued”, available until January 2027; several generic liraglutide products are listed as available.[13]
- Semaglutide: no generic is approved in the US. NovoCare’s self-pay price for Wegovy was $349 a month for most doses in October 2026.[14]
Generic prices vary by pharmacy and plan, so compare quotes. Our Saxenda cost guide tracks current prices.
Prices checked October 2026. They change often; confirm with your pharmacy or plan.
Teens and children
Both are options for adolescents. Saxenda is approved for weight management from age 12 in children weighing more than 60 kg with obesity, and Victoza for type 2 diabetes from age 10.[2][4] Wegovy injection is approved for weight management from age 12; Ozempic is approved only for adults.[3][5] STEP 8 enrolled adults only, so there is no head-to-head data in teens.[1]
Which should you choose?
- Most weight loss from a GLP-1-only drug: semaglutide.
- Lowest cost, or a plan that only covers generics: generic liraglutide, accepting less weight loss.
- Prefer a weekly routine: semaglutide. Prefer quick dose adjustments: liraglutide’s daily dosing allows that.
A clinician sets the dose and can help you weigh cost against expected results. See also dulaglutide vs semaglutide for another weekly option in diabetes.
