Saxenda vs Ozempic: What Are the Differences?

Key Takeaways

Saxenda contains the active ingredient liraglutide and semaglutide is the active ingredient of Ozempic. While Saxenda and Ozempic are both GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) agonists, they are intended for different uses.
Saxenda is FDA-approved for chronic weight management in overweight and obese individuals who meet certain criteria, while Ozempic is FDA-approved for blood sugar control in people with type-2 diabetes.
Saxenda and Ozempic also differ on their dosage forms and strengths, eligibility, dosing frequency, side effects, costs, and insurance coverage.

Saxenda and Ozempic are similar medications that belong to the same drug class. Ozempic and Saxenda contain two different drugs that work the same way in the body.

One of the main differences between Ozempic and Saxenda is the conditions they’re used to treat. Ozempic is specifically approved to improve blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes, while Saxenda is FDA-approved for chronic weight management. Please continue reading to learn more about Ozempic vs Saxenda differences.

What are the differences between Saxenda and Ozempic?

The key differences between Saxenda and Ozempic are as follows:

Active Ingredient

Saxenda is a brand name drug that contains the generic drug (active ingredient) liraglutide. Ozempic is a brand name drug that contains the generic drug (active ingredient) semaglutide.

FDA Approved Uses

Saxenda (liraglutide) is FDA-approved for chronic weight management in obese and overweight individuals who also have one of the weight-related health problems. Like any weight loss medication, Saxenda should be part of a comprehensive weight management regimen that includes a healthy diet and exercise.

By helping people lose weight, Saxenda reduces the risk of obesity-related health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, fatty liver, and certain cancers.

Ozempic (semaglutide) is FDA-approved for blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes. It works along with eating fewer calories and getting more exercise. For diabetic patients who also have heart disease, Ozempic helps to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and major cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke.

Approval timeline

The FDA approved Saxenda for weight management in 2014. Ozempic got FDA approval for diabetes treatment in 2017.

Learn more about Ozempic for weight loss.

Approval criteria

Saxenda is approved for chronic weight management in adults and children aged 12 years or older as long as they meet the following criteria:

Adults: having a body mass index (BMI) of at least 30, or a BMI of at least 27 and having one of the weight-related health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol.
Children aged 12 and older: having a body weight above 60 kilograms (kg) and an initial BMI that corresponds to an adult BMI of at least 30 for adults by international cut-off (Cole criteria),

Ozempic is approved to manage blood sugar levels in adults 18 years of age and older. A drug called Wegovy, which also contains semaglutide (the same active ingredient as Ozempic), is FDA-approved to support weight loss in adults and children 12 years of age and older.

Learn more about Wegovy’s uses and side effects.

Dosage Forms and Strengths

Saxenda comes as a multi-dose pre-filled pen containing 6 mg/mL. Specifically, Saxenda is available only in one strength; each Saxenda pen contains 18 milligrams (mg) of liraglutide in 3 milliliters (mL) of solution (18 mg/3 mL).

Ozempic comes as a multi-dose pre-filled pen containing 2 mg /1.5 mL, 2 mg/3 mL, 4 mg/3 mL, and 8 mg/3 mL.

Storage

Before use, Saxenda pens must be stored in the refrigerator (between 36ºF to 46ºF or 2ºC to 8ºC). After initial use, they can be stored for up to 30 days at room temperature (between 59°F and 86°F or 15°C to 30°C) or in the refrigerator.

Before use, Ozempic pens must be stored in the refrigerator (between 36ºF to 46ºF or 2ºC to 8ºC). After initial use, they can be stored for up to 56 days at room temperature (between 59°F and 86°F or 15°C to 30°C) or in the refrigerator.

Dosing Frequency

Due to a shorter half-life of 13 hours, Saxenda is administered once daily by subcutaneous injection at any time of the day without regard to food intake.

With a half-life of 168 hours, Ozempic is a once weekly injectable medication that can be given at any time of day on the same day of the week without regard to meals.

Dosing Schedule

Saxenda

The starting dose of Saxenda is 0.6 mg subcutaneously once daily for week 1, 1.2 mg once daily for week 2, 1.8 mg once daily for week 3, 2.4 mg once daily for week 4, and the maintenance dosage of 3 mg once daily from week 5 onwards.

Dose titration can be delayed by 1 additional week to reduce the risk of gastrointestinal side effects.

The maintenance dose of Saxenda is 3 mg subcutaneously once daily. If you cannot tolerate the side effects of the maintenance dose (3 mg daily), it is likely that your doctor will advise you to stop using Saxenda because Saxenda’s efficacy for weight loss has not been established at lower doses.

Ozempic

The starting dose of Ozempic is 0.25 mg subcutaneous injection once a week for 4 weeks, followed by 0.5 mg once weekly for 4 weeks.

After 4 weeks of being on 0.5 mg weekly, if your blood sugar levels are well-controlled, you will continue on this dosing regimen of 0.5 mg once weekly. If your blood sugar levels are still not under control, your doctor may increase the dose of ozempic to 1 or 2 mg once weekly.

The maximum recommended dosage of Ozempic is 2 mg once weekly.

Side Effects

Common side effects of Saxenda include heartburn, headache, constipation, abdominal pain, tiredness, cough, runny nose, sneezing, difficulties with urination, and injection site reaction.

Common side effects of Ozempic include stomach pain, stomach upset, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, heartburn, and belching.

What is Ozempic face? Check out our blog to learn more.

Effectiveness for Weight Loss

Clinical trials have shown the following results with regards to reduction in body weight in adults who took Saxenda for 56 weeks:

60% of people lost at least 5% of their starting weight (approximately 12 lbs)
33% of people lost at least 10% of their initial weight (approximately 23 lbs)
6% of people lost at least 20% of their baseline weight (approximately 47 lbs)

Ozempic is used for controlling blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. It is not a weight loss drug, but it can result in clinically significant weight loss of 8 lbs to 14 lbs in people with diabetes.

Cost

Saxenda has a list price of $1,349. Ozempic has a list price of $935. Find out how much weight loss injections cost.

Insurance Coverage

Weight loss medications such as Saxenda may or may not be covered by your insurance plan. You will need to check your health insurance plan's drug formulary or contact your plan administrator to find out if Saxenda is covered.

Ozempic may not be covered by insurance when it is prescribed specifically for weight loss alone since this is an off-label (non-FDA-approved) use. However, Ozempic may be covered under your insurance plan for type 2 diabetes treatment.

What are the similarities between Saxenda and Ozempic?

The similarities between Saxenda and Ozempic include:

Both Ozempic and Saxenda are prescription drugs available with a prescription from a medical provider.
They are both manufactured by the same pharmaceutical company (Novo Nordisk).
Each of these two medications is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist medication. GLP-1 receptor agonists work by mimicking a naturally occurring hormone called GLP-1. This natural hormone helps to lower blood sugar levels by causing more insulin secretion from the pancreas.
GLP-1 receptor agonist class drugs also slow the emptying of the stomach contents into the intestines, making you feel fuller, thereby decreasing appetite, causing you to eat fewer calories, and leading to weight loss.
These medications also help lower the amount of sugar being released into the bloodstream.
Saxenda and Ozempic both come as pre-filled injection pens for single-patient use. The injections are taken subcutaneously under the skin of the upper arm, abdomen, or thigh.
The dose of Ozempic and Saxenda is increased slowly over several weeks to reach a maintenance dosage.
These medications work alongside lifestyle changes such as a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.
Both Saxenda and Ozempic carry a boxed warning (the FDA’s most serious warning) for thyroid C cell tumors such as medullary thyroid cancer and a condition called multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN 2). People with a personal or family history of these conditions should not take Ozempic or Saxenda.
Taking Ozempic and Saxenda is associated with an increased risk of medical conditions such as acute pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, kidney injury, increased heart rate, low blood sugar, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
Both Saxenda and Ozempic can have drug interactions with other medications.
Serious allergic reactions are rare, but you should seek immediate medical attention if you develop skin rash, hives, itching, swelling, or difficulty breathing after taking Saxenda or Ozempic.

What body mass index (BMI) qualifies for weight management drugs?

You may be eligible to take prescription weight loss medications if you have a body mass index (BMI) of:

30 kg/m² or higher.
27 kg/m² or higher with at least one weight-related health condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol.

As long as certain criteria are met, some weight loss medications are also approved for use in children as young as 6. Saxenda (liraglutide) can be used in children aged 12 and older, and Imcivree (setmelanotide) can be used in children as young as 6 years old.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much weight can I lose in a month with Saxenda?

Most people lose around 2-4% of their body weight in a month on Saxenda. This medication may not work if the weight loss achieved less than 4% of your initial weight after 4 months.

Do you lose more weight on Saxenda or Ozempic?

Based on the results of clinical trials, you may lose slightly more excess weight on Ozempic than Saxenda.

Ozempic is not FDA-approved for weight loss medication but for treating type 2 diabetes. If you have type-2 diabetes and you haven’t been able to lose excess weight with diets and exercise alone, Ozempic may be a good option for you. Saxenda requires daily injections, while Ozempic is a once-weekly injection.

Can you swap from Ozempic to Saxenda?

Ozempic (semaglutide) and Saxenda (liraglutide) contain different active ingredients and are approved to treat different conditions.

Ozempic and Saxenda are not interchangeable. However, if you have been prescribed Ozempic as an off-label use for weight loss but have problems getting this medication due to the ongoing drug shortage, your doctor may discuss other treatment options like Saxenda.

You should not make any changes or start a new weight loss medication without talking to your healthcare providers first. Purchasing counterfeit weight loss products can lead to harmful health complications.

What is stronger than Ozempic for weight loss?

The new weight loss drug Zepbound (tirzepatide) may be more effective than Ozempic in helping you lose weight.

Your healthcare provider will develop a treatment plan for your weight loss journey. They help you decide on the most appropriate medication, whether it is Ozempic, Saxenda, or other weight loss drugs, depending on your medical history, symptoms, side effects, and other factors.

Check out the current list of FDA-approved weight loss pills.

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