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Saxenda vs Wegovy
Saxenda (liraglutide) · Wegovy (semaglutide)
The short answer
Wegovy produces more weight loss and needs one injection a week instead of seven. On both counts it has largely displaced Saxenda for new prescriptions.
Saxenda is not a bad drug. It established that this whole approach worked. It is simply an earlier generation, and the main reasons to be on it now are cost, availability, or a preference for something that clears the body faster.
Everything below goes into the detail, with sources on each record.
01Side by side
| Saxenda (liraglutide) | Wegovy (semaglutide) | |
|---|---|---|
| UK status | MHRA licensed | MHRA licensed |
| Availability | Prescription only | Prescription only |
| Evidence base | Human RCT, phase 3 | Human RCT, phase 3 |
| Controlled drug | No | No |
| Drug class | GLP-1 receptor agonist | GLP-1 receptor agonist |
02What is the same
- Both licensed in the UK for weight management.
- Both GLP-1 receptor agonists, same single receptor, same mechanism.
- Both injections under the skin, prescription only.
- Both show weight regain after stopping. The SCALE extension data for liraglutide was among the earliest evidence of what is now known to be a class-wide effect.
03What actually differs
| Saxenda | Wegovy | |
|---|---|---|
| Frequency | Daily | Weekly |
| Time in the body | About 13 hours | About a week |
| Average weight loss in trials | Lower | Higher |
| UK licence since | 2009 for diabetes, later for weight | 2023 for weight |
| Injections per year | 365 | 52 |
The duration difference cuts both ways. A weekly drug is far easier to live with. A daily drug clears faster, so if side effects are troublesome they pass in hours rather than persisting for days.
04What the evidence says
Liraglutide's weight-management evidence is the SCALE programme; semaglutide's is STEP. Both funded by Novo Nordisk, which makes both drugs.
There is head-to-head evidence, STEP 8, which compared semaglutide against liraglutide for weight management and favoured semaglutide.
Liraglutide also has LEADER, which reported reduced cardiovascular events in people with type 2 diabetes at raised risk. That is a specific finding in a specific population, not a general claim about heart health.
05Which suits whom
- Weekly wins for most people. Adherence to a daily injection is harder, and a drug you take is better than one you skip.
- Faster clearance can matter. If you are cautious about side effects, or have had a bad experience with a long-acting drug, a shorter-acting one is a reasonable thing to raise.
- Availability and cost. Sometimes the honest reason, and a legitimate one.
- Existing conditions. As always, the deciding factors are the ones a comparison page cannot see.
06Getting either in the UK
Both are licensed UK medicines available on prescription. New prescribing has shifted heavily towards weekly drugs, so availability of Saxenda through any given service varies.
NHS access for weight management is restricted for both and runs through NICE criteria and local commissioning. Private prescription through a registered UK pharmacy is the other lawful route.
07The honest bottom line
Wegovy is more effective and far more convenient. That is why it has taken over.
Saxenda still works, and if it is what you can get, or what you tolerate, it is a licensed medicine with a long track record rather than a consolation prize.
08Common questions
Is Wegovy better than Saxenda?
On average yes, for both weight loss and convenience. The head-to-head STEP 8 trial favoured semaglutide, and one weekly injection beats seven daily ones for most people.
Is Saxenda discontinued?
No. It remains a licensed UK medicine. New prescribing has moved towards the weekly drugs, so availability through any particular service varies.
Why would anyone choose a daily injection?
Cost and availability, mostly. Some people also prefer a drug that clears the body in hours rather than a week, because if side effects are troublesome they pass much sooner.
Do you regain weight after Saxenda too?
Yes. The SCALE trial extension data on regain after stopping liraglutide was among the earliest evidence for what is now recognised across the whole class.
Full record
Liraglutide
The first GLP-1 drug most UK patients encountered. Daily rather than weekly, and now largely superseded.
Full record
Semaglutide
A licensed prescription medicine, and one of the two GLP-1 drugs most people are actually talking about.
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