Saxenda (Liraglutide)

Saxenda (liraglutide) is a prescription medication used to help people manage their weight. It is part of a group of drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) initially approved liraglutide under the brand name Victoza for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. However, in 2014, the FDA approved Saxenda, a higher-dose form of liraglutide to treat adults with obesity or those who are overweight and have related health issues. Novo Nordisk manufactures both Saxenda and Victoza.

Saxenda works by reducing feelings of hunger and slowing the rate at which food moves through the stomach, which helps people eat less.

Patients administer Saxenda through a daily injection and increase the dose gradually over several weeks until reaching 3 mg per day.

While patients must take Saxenda daily, semaglutide-based Wegovy, another GLP-1 drug approved for weight management, requires only one injection per week. Ozempic is another semaglutide drug that only requires weekly dosing.

Saxenda’s label carries a black box warning — the FDA’s most serious warning — for a possible risk of thyroid C-cell tumors. People who have a personal or family history of certain cancers, such as medullary thyroid cancer (MTC), should not take Saxenda. The warning is based on animal studies.

The most common side effects of Saxenda are typically minor. Researchers identified these side effects in clinical trials before the medication’s FDA approval.

Common side effects were those observed in 5% or more of the people participating in clinical trials.

Always consult your healthcare provider with any concerns. You should never stop taking Saxenda without first talking to your doctor.

If you experience mild side effects from Saxenda, monitor them and discuss them with your doctor at your next visit. Don’t stop taking it without consulting your doctor, as this could affect your weight management.

If you have serious side effects while taking Saxenda, it’s essential to act fast and contact your doctor. Some side effects can be dangerous and may require you to stop using the medication right away.

Before starting Saxenda, tell your doctor about your personal and family history of thyroid cancer or hormone-related issues. In addition, mention any other medications you’re taking, as Saxenda can interact with them.

You can report any adverse reactions you experience to the FDA’s MedWatch program.

People who experienced severe gastrointestinal injuries have filed Saxenda lawsuits. These lawsuits argue that Novo Nordisk knew or should have known that Saxenda could cause gastroparesis and other gastrointestinal injuries, but didn’t do enough to warn doctors and patients about the risks.

In December 2024, a federal panel added Saxenda to a multidistrict litigation (MDL) involving five other GLP-1 medications. MDLs enable the consolidation of several similar lawsuits into a single litigation to expedite the legal process.

The Saxenda MDL in an Eastern Pennsylvania federal court claims that GLP-1 drugs have caused gastroparesis, intestinal blockages and other gastrointestinal injuries. In addition to Saxenda lawsuits, Novo Nordisk is a defendant in Wegovy, Rybelsus and Ozempic lawsuits. Eli Lilly and Company faces Trulicity and Mounjaro lawsuits in the same MDL.

As of July 2025, there were 1,997 lawsuits in the MDL. No trials, verdicts or settlements have been announced.

If you experienced injuries from a severe gastrointestinal side effect, you may be able to file a Saxenda lawsuit. You should gather your medical records related to Saxenda and your injuries. Drugwatch works with leading national law firms that specialize in lawsuits over harmful prescription drugs. We can help connect you with an attorney experienced in Saxenda and other GLP-1 medication lawsuits.

The FDA keeps a close eye on Saxenda because of concerns about its possible links to cancer. The FDA required Novo Nordisk to include Saxenda’s black box warning about thyroid tumors found in animal tests before the manufacturer could sell the medication in the U.S.

Some users have reported a rare form of cancer called medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) after taking Saxenda. Because of this risk, the FDA advises that people with a personal or family history of MTC — or a genetic disorder called multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN2) — should not use this drug.

As of March 31, 2025, the FDA Adverse Events Reporting System (FAERS) Public Dashboard indicated that the agency had received a total of 6,013 reports related to Saxenda. Of those, the FDA categorized 2,627 reports as serious, including 70 deaths.

The most frequent serious side effect reported was pancreatitis (211 cases), while the most frequent common side effect was nausea (1,066 cases).

Saxenda is FDA-approved for adults with a BMI of 30 or higher, or a BMI of at least 27 with weight-related health issues. The FDA has also approved Saxenda for children aged 12 and older meeting specific obesity criteria. It is not approved for general weight loss in people who don’t meet these criteria, and it also lacks FDA approval to treat type 2 diabetes.

However, some people may use Saxenda for unapproved reasons via off-label usage. Off-label prescribing happens when a doctor prescribes a medication for a purpose that isn’t FDA-approved. For example, if someone who doesn’t meet the FDA’s BMI requirements for Saxenda takes it for weight loss, that would qualify as off-label use.

It’s unclear how widely doctors have prescribed Saxenda off-label. However, the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission reported that, from 2018 through September 2023, the use of GLP-1 medications for long-term weight loss increased significantly, rising from 6% to 40% of all GLP-1 prescriptions. The Commission also noted that the 40% rate is probably lower than the actual rate due to off-label usage.

Saxenda’s label states that its safety and effectiveness haven’t been thoroughly tested in combination with other weight-loss products or in unapproved groups. Using it off-label may pose risks, including unknown drug interactions and side effects.