Saxenda®

liraglutide, GLP-1, injection

Saxenda® mimics a gut hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). When you eat, GLP-1 slows digestion and helps you feel full. It also:

Balances blood sugar

Reduces appetite

Regulates insulin

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Everything you need to know about
Saxenda®

What is

Saxenda®

Benefits How it works How to use it

What is
Saxenda®
?

Saxenda is a drug that is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of chronic weight management in those with obesity or overweight who have at least one weight-related condition. Saxenda also reduces the risk of cardiovascular events like heart attacks and strokes. It isn’t prescribed for treating diabetes.

Saxenda is a brand name for liraglutide, which Novo Nordisk manufactures. Right now, there is no FDA-approved generic version of liraglutide.

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Benefits of
Saxenda®

Weight loss when on Saxenda varies, often depending on the dose. In one placebo-controlled 20-week trial, those taking a daily dose of 1.2 mg of liraglutide lost an average of about 11 lb, while those on 3 mg lost, on average, about 16 lb. More of those on the 3 mg dose lost 5% or more of their total body weight than those on the placebo. (Safe weight loss is one to two pounds per week.)

Saxenda may have more benefits than just treating weight management. Liraglutide may reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke, or death in adults at lower doses and can improve cardiovascular health metrics and insulin resistance. Liraglutide also improves heart health by lowering blood sugar and helping people lose excess weight.

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How does
Saxenda®
work?

Eating triggers your body to release the GLP-1 hormone in your gut. GLP-1 helps lower blood glucose (blood sugar) by stimulating insulin release and insulin helps blood glucose enter your body’s cells for later energy use.

In some people, the gut doesn't make enough natural GLP-1, or the brain isn't sensitive to it.

Saxenda is a synthetic GLP-1 receptor agonist (RA). It works in the gut like natural GLP-1 by activating the same cell receptors as the body's hormones. Because Saxenda slows digestion, it helps curb hunger and signal fullness to the brain. As a result, some people with obesity or overweight have lost weight while taking it.

Pair Saxenda with lifestyle modifications. Saxenda may require long-term use.

It’s important to note that GLP-1 medications don’t work for everyone. There are dozens of biological reasons why people struggle to lose weight. Found’s clinicians, trained in obesity medicine, can help patients identify the root cause of their weight gain and personalize a prescription to target it. All prescriptions are up to a medical provider’s discretion.

More on personalized treatment with Found

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How to use it

Novo Nordisk recommends injecting the once-a-day medicine under the skin in the upper arm, upper thigh, or stomach, rotating the injection site with each dose. Store the capped Saxenda pens in the refrigerator.

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Dosing

For most patients, dosing typically begins with 0.6 mg each day for the first week. In the second week, daily injections increase to 1.2 mg. Daily doses increase to 1.8 mg in the third week, 2.4 mg in the fourth week, and 3 mg, the full dose, in the fifth and subsequent weeks of treatment. Make sure to let your health care provider know if you have any negative side effects as you increase the dose.

Side effects

Rapid or significant weight loss can lead to too much muscle loss. It’s important to start a strength training program and exercise regularly to protect your muscles while taking Saxenda.

Use effective birth control while taking this medication. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant, do not take Saxenda.Tell your health care provider if you have severe stomach problems that won’t go away, including abdominal bloating or pain, acid reflux, a feeling of fullness after eating just a few bites of food, nausea, and vomiting, including vomiting undigested food eaten a few hours earlier. These may be symptoms of gastroparesis (stomach paralysis).

Black Box Warning

Although rare, liraglutide caused thyroid C-cell tumors in animal studies. Saxenda’s “black box” warns of the risk of these tumors. If you have trouble swallowing, develop hoarseness, or feel swelling or a lump in your neck, contact your health care provider immediately.

The FDA also warns not to take Saxenda if you have a personal or family history of multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, medullary thyroid cancer, insulin-dependent diabetes, or diabetic ketoacidosis. So, if that’s you, Saxenda isn’t the right fit.

Precautions

Rapid or significant weight loss can lead to too much muscle loss. It’s important to start a strength training program and exercise regularly to protect your muscles while taking Saxenda.

Use effective birth control while taking this medication. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant, do not take Saxenda.Tell your health care provider if you have severe stomach problems that won’t go away, including abdominal bloating or pain, acid reflux, a feeling of fullness after eating just a few bites of food, nausea, and vomiting, including vomiting undigested food eaten a few hours earlier. These may be symptoms of gastroparesis (stomach paralysis).

Interactions

Some drugs can also interact with Saxenda, including:

Insulin
Sulfonylureas (these can cause blood sugar levels to drop dangerously low when combined with Saxenda )
Some birth control pills
Other GLP-1 or GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist medications such as dulaglutide, semaglutide, or tirzepatide

You should not drink alcohol while taking this drug because alcohol can lower blood sugar. Combining alcohol with this medication may cause blood sugars to fall too fast, leading to fainting and dizziness.

about
found

Found is an online weight loss program offering personalized care for every member. Some of the nation’s top obesity medicine specialists helped design our program. Our approach is based on science, and we’re committed to clinical excellence.

Members get access to: Clinicians trained in obesity medicine 1:1 health coaching Self-paced lifestyle change program designed by doctors, psychologists, and behavioral scientists Exclusive in-app community.

Found’s comprehensive program is designed to work with your body—so you can achieve lasting results and enjoy better health.

Alternative medications

Depending on your health history, weight history, and MetabolicPrint^TM assessment, your Found health care provider may consider other alternatives to help you lose weight. Some are FDA-approved for weight loss. Others are used off-label and have strong clinical evidence supporting their use for weight loss.

Unfortunately, there are no generic versions of Ozempic currently on the market.
However, your health care provider might consider alternatives such as Wegovy, Mounjaro, or Saxenda, all of which are GLP-1 medications but not all are FDA-approved for weight loss specifically.