Prescription medication · GLP-1 Receptor Agonist
exenatide
Also sold as Byetta, Bydureon. Byetta helps adults with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar levels.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 52,302
- FDA reportsOften reported
- 2
- InteractionsFew interactions
- $340.29
- Brand price (NADAC)
What the data shows
exenatide (Byetta) is a prescription GLP-1 Receptor Agonist, reported at a middle-of-the-pack volume (52,302 FDA reports), with 2 documented drug interactions.
Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.
exenatide (Byetta) is a prescription GLP-1 Receptor Agonist. Byetta helps adults with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar levels.
Byetta is a medicine that helps adults with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar. It works along with diet and exercise.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Brand Price
$340.29/unit
Generic Available
Yes (1 manufacturer)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Byetta helps adults with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar levels.
Common side effects
Nausea, Low blood sugar, Vomiting
Key warnings
Byetta may cause serious side effects, including pancreatitis.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from exenatide's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Byetta is a GLP-1 receptor agonist. It works by helping your body release insulin when your blood sugar is high. It also lowers the amount of sugar your liver makes.
How to Take It
Inject Byetta under your skin within 60 minutes before your morning and evening meals. These meals should be about 6 hours apart. Start with 5 mcg twice a day. After 1 month, your doctor may increase your dose to 10 mcg twice a day.
This is a plain-language summary of exenatide's FDA labeling, not individualized dosing advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before changing how you take this medication.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Byetta should only be used during pregnancy if the benefit outweighs the risk to the baby. It is not known if Byetta passes into breast milk.
This is a plain-language summary of exenatide's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber about pregnancy or breastfeeding on this medication.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, just take your next scheduled dose as usual. Do not take an extra dose to make up for the missed one.
This is a plain-language summary of exenatide's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber what to do about your specific missed dose.
Storage
Store Byetta in the refrigerator. After the first use, you can keep it at room temperature for up to 30 days. Throw the pen away after 30 days, even if there is medicine left.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 52,302 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for exenatide, by number of reports
- High blood sugar
High blood sugar
15,473 reports
- Weight loss
Weight loss
12,125 reports
- Feeling sick to your stomach
Feeling sick to your stomach
12,038 reports
- Reduced appetite 5,644
Reduced appetite
5,644 reports
- Low blood sugar 5,517
Low blood sugar
5,517 reports
- Throwing up 4,345
Throwing up
4,345 reports
- Diarrhea 2,743
Diarrhea
2,743 reports
- Feeling dizzy 2,671
Feeling dizzy
2,671 reports
- Headache 2,085
Headache
2,085 reports
- Pain at the injection site 2,023
Pain at the injection site
2,023 reports
What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.
Reports over time
Adverse-event reports filed for exenatide each year to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
Year-to-year volume tracks usage, prescribing, and scrutiny, not a change in per-patient risk. Source: FDA FAERS.
Where exenatide sits
exenatide has more FDA adverse-event reports than 74% of the drugs FAERS tracks. A high position reflects how widely a drug is used and watched, not how dangerous it is.
Percentile across all drugs PlainMeds tracks by FAERS report volume. The dot is exenatide; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 52,302 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2005–2025.
Total Reports
52,302
Reports Mentioning Death
1,762
3.4% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
7,532
Top Indication
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BLOOD GLUCOSE INCREASED | 15,472 |
| 2 | WEIGHT DECREASED | 12,125 |
| 3 | NAUSEA | 12,040 |
| 4 | DECREASED APPETITE | 5,643 |
| 5 | BLOOD GLUCOSE DECREASED | 5,517 |
| 6 | VOMITING | 4,345 |
| 7 | DIARRHOEA | 2,742 |
| 8 | DIZZINESS | 2,673 |
| 10 | HEADACHE | 2,086 |
| 11 | INJECTION SITE PAIN | 2,023 |
| 12 | PANCREATITIS | 2,012 |
| 13 | INJECTION SITE BRUISING | 1,843 |
| 14 | INJECTION SITE HAEMORRHAGE | 1,809 |
| 15 | FATIGUE | 1,759 |
| 16 | FEELING ABNORMAL | 1,664 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
Byetta may cause serious side effects, including pancreatitis. If you have severe stomach pain that won't go away, stop using Byetta and call your doctor right away. Never share your Byetta pen with anyone else, even if you change the needle.
Known Drug Interactions
Orally Administered Drugs (e.g., acetaminophen) Clinical Impact Exenatide slows gastric emptying.
Mechanism: Exenatide slows down the movement of food and medicine out of your stomach, which can delay how fast acetaminophen starts working.
What to do: You may need to change when you take your pain medicine to make sure it works effectively.
( 7 ) • Warfarin: Postmarketing reports of increased INR sometimes associated with bleeding. Warfarin Clinical Impact In a drug interaction study, BYETTA did not have a significant effect on INR [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] . There have been postmarketing reports for BYETTA of increased INR with concomitant use of warfarin, sometimes associated with bleeding [see Adverse Reactions (6.2) ] .
Mechanism: Taking these drugs together may change how your blood clots, which can lead to a higher risk of bleeding.
What to do: Your doctor should check your blood clotting tests more often if you take both of these medicines.
This is a plain-language summary of interactions documented in FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before combining medications.
Common Questions
Can I use Byetta with other diabetes medicines?
What should I do if I feel sick to my stomach?
Can Byetta cause low blood sugar?
Where should I inject Byetta?
How long does Byetta take to work?
What if the Byetta solution looks cloudy?
Can I travel with my Byetta pen?
What should I do if I have an allergic reaction?
Does Byetta cause weight loss?
Can I drink alcohol while taking Byetta?
What are the common side effects of exenatide?
Does exenatide interact with other medications?
What drug class is exenatide?
Is exenatide safe during pregnancy?
Related Medications in GLP-1 Receptor Agonist
Other drugs grouped near exenatide - same-class peers and common alternatives.
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What the FDA Data Shows for exenatide
The FDA label for exenatide (sold under brand names such as Byetta, Bydureon) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the GLP-1 Receptor Agonist class. Byetta helps adults with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar levels. Official labeling lists 10 commonly reported side effects, including Nausea, Low blood sugar, Vomiting.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 52,302 voluntary reports. The database also lists 2 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated minor severity. NADAC pricing from CMS.
Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: September 2, 2025
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled and last refreshed May 2026. See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a correction.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book - approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed - NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) - post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm - standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files - federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database - current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages