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Is Saxenda the same as Wegovy?

Reviewed by Yael Cooperman, MD, Ro, 

Written by Health Guide Team 

Reviewed by Yael Cooperman, MD, Ro, 

Written by Health Guide Team 

LAST UPDATED: Aug 16, 2023

1 MIN READ

Dr. Yael Cooperman, M.D. is a Medical Education Specialist at Ro.

Saxenda and Wegovy aren’t the same thing

Saxenda and Wegovy are both part of the same class of medications typically prescribed to manage diabetes or obesity known as GLP-1 receptor agonists but they aren’t the same drug: Saxenda is a brand name of a drug called liraglutide while Wegovy is a brand name of a drug called semaglutide

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Get access to GLP-1 medication (if prescribed) and 1:1 support to meet your weight goals

While not all GLP-1 drugs are approved by the FDA for weight loss, both Saxenda and Wegovy are approved for this use. Both are injectable medications administered in increasing doses, meaning your healthcare provider will typically start you on a lower dose and slowly prescribe higher doses to maximize weight loss while minimizing side effects.

Also, while Wegovy is injected once a week, Saxenda is a daily injection, because Wegovy lasts longer in the bloodstream than Saxenda. 

While research has shown that Wegovy typically leads to more weight loss than Saxenda, Saxenda has been shown in trials to be more effective for managing blood sugar levels and also helps reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke, so it’s usually a better option than Wegovy for people with diabetes and a history of heart disease, heart attack, or stroke who are trying to lose weight. Also, medication availability may determine which drug you are prescribed by your healthcare provider.

Saxenda Important Safety Information: Read more about serious warnings and safety info.

Wegovy Important Safety Information: Read more about serious warnings and safety info.

DISCLAIMER

If you have any medical questions or concerns, please talk to your healthcare provider. The articles on Health Guide are underpinned by peer-reviewed research and information drawn from medical societies and governmental agencies. However, they are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

  • Marso, S. P., Daniels, G. H., Brown-Frandsen, K., et al. (2016). Liraglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes. The New England Journal of Medicine, 375(4), 311–322. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1603827. Retrieved from https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmoa1603827

  • Rubino, D. M., Greenway, F. L., Khalid, U., et al. (2022). Effect of Weekly Subcutaneous Semaglutide vs Daily Liraglutide on Body Weight in Adults With Overweight or Obesity Without Diabetes: The STEP 8 Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA, 327(2), 138–150. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2021.23619. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35015037/


How we reviewed this article

Every article on Health Guide goes through rigorous fact-checking by our team of medical reviewers. Our reviewers are trained medical professionals who ensure each article contains the most up-to-date information, and that medical details have been correctly interpreted by the writer.

Current version

August 16, 2023

Written by

Health Guide Team

Fact checked by

Yael Cooperman, MD


About the medical reviewer

Yael Cooperman is a physician and works as a Senior Manager, Medical Content & Education at Ro.

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