liraglutide
Brand names: Victoza, Saxenda
Liraglutide is a medicine that helps lower blood sugar levels. It is used with diet and exercise to treat type 2 diabetes in adults and children 10 years and older.
Drug Shortage Alert
liraglutide is currently listed as in shortage by the FDA. Affected manufacturer: Meitheal Pharmaceuticals, Inc.. Status: Available.
View all drug shortages →Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Brand Price
$86.74/unit
Generic Price
$73.55/unit
Generic Savings
15%
Generic Available
Yes (6 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Liraglutide helps manage blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
Common side effects
Nausea, Diarrhea, Vomiting
Key warnings
Liraglutide can cause thyroid tumors in animals.
How It Works
Liraglutide works by mimicking a natural hormone in your body. This hormone helps your pancreas release insulin when your blood sugar is high. It also lowers the amount of sugar your liver makes.
How to Take It
Start with 0.6 mg injected under the skin once a day for one week. Then, your doctor may increase the dose to 1.2 mg daily. If needed, the dose can be increased to 1.8 mg daily. You can inject it at any time of day, with or without food.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Liraglutide may harm your unborn baby. You should only use it during pregnancy if the benefit outweighs the risk. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, take your next dose as scheduled. Do not take an extra dose to make up for the missed one.
Storage
Store liraglutide in the refrigerator before first use. After first use, you can store it in the refrigerator or at room temperature for 30 days.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 29,315 FDA adverse event reports.
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 47,843 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2004–2025.
Total Reports
47,843
Death-Related Reports
1,745
Hospitalization Reports
10,464
Top Indication
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | NAUSEA | 7,005 |
| 2 | BLOOD GLUCOSE INCREASED | 3,875 |
| 3 | VOMITING | 3,364 |
| 4 | DIARRHOEA | 3,263 |
| 5 | PANCREATITIS | 2,315 |
| 6 | WEIGHT DECREASED | 2,076 |
| 7 | DECREASED APPETITE | 2,066 |
| 8 | HEADACHE | 1,988 |
| 9 | OFF LABEL USE | 1,728 |
| 10 | FATIGUE | 1,635 |
| 11 | DRUG INEFFECTIVE | 1,538 |
| 12 | CONSTIPATION | 1,492 |
| 13 | DIZZINESS | 1,474 |
| 14 | ABDOMINAL PAIN UPPER | 1,409 |
| 15 | MALAISE | 1,337 |
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
Liraglutide can cause thyroid tumors in animals. It is not known if it can cause thyroid cancer in humans. You should not take this medicine if you or your family have a history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or if you have Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2. Tell your doctor if you notice a lump in your neck, have trouble swallowing or breathing, or your voice becomes hoarse.
Known Drug Interactions
7.2 Effects of Delayed Gastric Emptying on Oral Medications Liraglutide-containing products, including XULTOPHY 100/3.6, cause a delay of gastric emptying, and thereby have the potential to impact the absorption of concomitantly administered oral medications. In clinical pharmacology trials, liraglutide did not affect the absorption of the tested orally administered medications to any clinically relevant degree [see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 )] . Nonetheless, caution should be exercised when oral medications are concomitantly administered with liraglutide containing products.
Mechanism: Liraglutide slows down the movement of food and medicine through your stomach, which can change how your body absorbs pills.
What to do: Be careful when taking oral medicines with this drug and watch for changes in how well your other medicines work.
Common Questions
Can I take liraglutide if I have a family history of thyroid cancer?
Does liraglutide cause weight loss?
Can I use liraglutide with other diabetes medications?
Where should I inject liraglutide?
What should I do if I experience severe nausea?
How long does liraglutide take to start working?
Can liraglutide cause low blood sugar?
What are the symptoms of a thyroid tumor?
Should I check my thyroid regularly while taking liraglutide?
What if the solution in the pen is cloudy or has particles?
What are the common side effects of liraglutide?
Does liraglutide interact with other medications?
What drug class is liraglutide?
Is there a generic version of liraglutide?
Is liraglutide safe during pregnancy?
Is liraglutide currently in shortage?
Related Medications in GLP-1 Receptor Agonist
Other drugs grouped near liraglutide — same-class peers and common alternatives.
acarbose
Precose
Acarbose is a medicine that helps lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
Compare with liraglutide →
alogliptin
Nesina
Alogliptin and Metformin HCl is a drug that helps lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes.
Compare with liraglutide →
bromocriptine
Cycloset
Bromocriptine (Cycloset) is a medicine that acts like dopamine in your body.
Compare with liraglutide →
canagliflozin
Invokana
Invokana is a medicine used with diet and exercise to lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes.
Compare with liraglutide →
colesevelam
Welchol
Colesevelam is a medicine that helps lower bad cholesterol (LDL-C) and control blood sugar in adults.
Compare with liraglutide →
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What the FDA Data Shows for liraglutide
The FDA label for liraglutide (sold under brand names such as Victoza, Saxenda) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the GLP-1 Receptor Agonist class. Liraglutide helps manage blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Official labeling lists 6 commonly reported side effects, including Nausea, Diarrhea, Vomiting.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 29,315 voluntary reports. The database also lists 1 documented drug interaction derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated moderate severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $73.55 versus $86.74 for the brand — a 15% generic savings.
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). Shortage status: FDA Drug Shortages Database.
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: November 13, 2025
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
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