Liraglutide dosage

What Liraglutide is

Liraglutide is a once-daily GLP-1 receptor agonist that is approved by the FDA for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular risk reduction (Victoza) and for chronic weight management (Saxenda). It is shorter acting than the once-weekly agents semaglutide and tirzepatide, with a half-life of about 13 hours. This entry summarizes the FDA labels and pivotal published trials for research reference only.

The FDA label describes liraglutide as an acylated human GLP-1 receptor agonist with 97% amino acid sequence homology to endogenous human GLP-1(7-37) ^1. Glucose-dependent effects According to the Victoza label, liraglutide activates the GLP-1 receptor, a membrane-bound cell-surface receptor coupled to adenylyl cyclase through the stimulatory G-protein Gs in pancreatic beta cells, increasing intracellular cyclic AMP… How it works →

Schedules by time period

Label regimens and laid out week by week. Each bar is what the label states or what investigators gave participants; none is a recommendation.

Dosing as stated on the FDA label

• For glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes (Victoza): the recommended starting dosage is 0.6 mg injected subcutaneously once daily for one week (intended to reduce gastrointestinal adverse reactions and not effective for glycemic control in adults); after one week, increase to 1.2 mg once daily. If additional glycemic control is required, increase to the maximum recommended dosage of 1.8 mg once daily after at least one week on 1.2 mg. ¹
• For glycemic control in pediatric patients aged 10 years and older with type 2 diabetes (Victoza): the recommended starting dosage is 0.6 mg injected subcutaneously once daily; if additional glycemic control is required, increase in 0.6 mg increments after at least one week on the current dosage. The maximum recommended dosage is 1.8 mg once daily. ¹
• Administration of Victoza per the label: once daily at any time of day, independently of meals subcutaneously; if a dose is missed, resume the regimen with the next scheduled dose without an extra dose, and if more than 3 days have elapsed since the last dose, reinitiate at 0.6 mg once daily. ¹
• For chronic weight management in adults (Saxenda): initiate at 0.6 mg subcutaneously once daily for one week, then follow the escalation schedule of 1.2 mg in week 2, 1.8 mg in week 3, 2.4 mg in week 4, and 3 mg daily from week 5 onward; the recommended dosage is 3 mg daily and lower dosages are for titration only. The label directs evaluating change in body weight 16 weeks after initiation and discontinuing if the patient has not lost at least 4% of baseline body weight. ²
• For chronic weight management in pediatric patients aged 12 years and older with body weight above 60 kg and obesity (Saxenda): the same escalation schedule applies, and the recommended maintenance dosage is 3 mg daily; patients who do not tolerate 3 mg daily may have the maintenance dose reduced to 2.4 mg daily. Dosage escalation may take up to 8 weeks, and the label directs evaluating BMI after 12 weeks on the maintenance dose and discontinuing if there has not been a reduction in BMI of at least 1% from baseline. ²
• Administration of Saxenda per the label: once daily at any time of day without regard to the timing of meals subcutaneously. ²
• Saxenda label, missed doses: resume the once-daily regimen with the next scheduled dose without an extra or increased dose; if more than 3 days have elapsed since the last dose, reinitiate at 0.6 mg daily and follow the escalation schedule ^2.
• Saxenda label: in adults, discontinue if the 3 mg dosage is not tolerated (if an increase is not tolerated during escalation, consider delaying escalation by about one week); in pediatric patients, discontinue if 2.4 mg is not tolerated ^2.
• Victoza and Saxenda labels: coadministration with other liraglutide-containing products is not recommended; the Saxenda label also advises against use with any other GLP-1 receptor agonist ^1,2.
• Victoza is also indicated to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease; in the LEADER trial cited on the label, participants were randomized to Victoza 1.8 mg or placebo ^1.

How long did human studies run?

• Victoza glycemic-control trials in adults lasted 26 to 52 weeks; the pediatric trial was a 26-week placebo-controlled trial with a 26-week open-label extension (134 participants aged 10 to 17) ^1.
• LEADER (NCT01179048) randomized 9,340 adults with type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease to Victoza 1.8 mg or placebo for a median duration of 3.5 years ^1.
• Saxenda was studied in three 56-week randomized placebo-controlled adult trials with titration to 3 mg over 4 weeks (the label also reports discontinuation data from a 160-week trial), and in a 56-week pediatric trial in 251 participants aged 12 to 17 (NCT02918279) ^2.

Contraindications on the label

• Boxed warning (risk of thyroid C-cell tumors): Liraglutide causes thyroid C-cell tumors in rodents at clinically relevant exposures; it is unknown whether Victoza or Saxenda causes thyroid C-cell tumors, including medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), in humans. Both labels state the drug is contraindicated in patients with a personal or family history of MTC or with MEN 2 ^1,2.
• Victoza and Saxenda contraindications: personal or family history of MTC or MEN 2; serious hypersensitivity reaction to liraglutide or any excipient (anaphylactic reactions and angioedema have been reported) ^1,2.

Side effects reported in studies

• Nausea
  39.3% vs 13.8% placebo · Pooled weight-management trials, adults with overweight or obesity (Saxenda) ²
• Diarrhea
  20.9% vs 9.9% placebo · Pooled weight-management trials, adults ²
• Constipation
  19.4% vs 8.5% placebo · Pooled weight-management trials, adults ²
• Vomiting
  15.7% vs 3.9% placebo · Pooled weight-management trials, adults ²
• Severe gastrointestinal adverse reactions
  4.8% vs 1.4% placebo · Weight-management trials, adults ²
• Premature discontinuation due to adverse reactions
  9.8% vs 4.3% placebo · Weight-management trials, adults ²
• Injection site reaction
  13.9% vs 10.5% placebo · Pooled weight-management trials, adults ²
• Increased lipase
  5.3% vs 2.2% placebo · Pooled weight-management trials, adults ²

Liraglutide draw calculator

Pick the vial strength and the water added, enter an amount, and see the concentration, the units to draw and how many draws the vial holds. Arithmetic only.

1 · Vial strength

2 mg5 mg10 mg

2 · Water added

1 mL2 mL3 mL5 mL

3 · Amount per draw

mcgmg

4 · Syringe

30u50u100u

Your mix

10 mg + 2 mL water = 5 mg/mL

10 units holds 0.5 mg (500 mcg)

Draw toEnter an amount in step 3

U-100 syringe · 100 units = 1 mL

Computed from your inputs. Not a dose or a recommendation.

Compare water volumes for this vialShow

More water = lower concentration = a larger, easier-to-measure draw. Tap a row to use it.

Water	mg/mL	Draw
0.5 mL	20	—
1 mL	10	—
1.5 mL	6.667	—
2 mL	5	—
2.5 mL	4	—
3 mL	3.333	—
5 mL	2	—

Supplies and handling

• Lyophilized vial
  Sealed vial with the freeze-dried cake. Check the label, lot and the certificate of analysis before opening.
• Sterile diluent
  The diluent named on the product documentation. Bacteriostatic water contains benzyl alcohol; sterile water does not.
• Graduated syringes
  Sized to the volume being measured. U-100 insulin syringes are graduated in units where 100 units = 1 mL.
• Alcohol prep pads
  For wiping vial stoppers before each puncture.
• Nitrile gloves
  Clean gloves for aseptic handling.
• Sharps container
  Puncture-resistant container for used needles.

Storage

Handling of research material should follow the supplier's documentation and certificate of analysis, including storage temperature, protection from light and freeze-thaw limits. Approved products have their own storage instructions in the 'How supplied/storage and handling' section of the respective FDA labels.

• Lyophilized (unmixed) vials: typically stored cold and dry, away from light, as the documentation directs. Many are stable longer frozen.
• Reconstituted vials: typically refrigerated (about 2–8 °C), protected from light and not frozen.
• Bacteriostatic water contains benzyl alcohol, which inhibits bacterial growth in multi-use vials; sterile water has no preservative.

Handling mistakes and troubleshooting

Added the wrong volume of diluent

The concentration changes, not the amount of compound in the vial. Recalculate with the volume actually added and relabel the vial.

Shook the vial and it foamed

Let it settle in the refrigerator. Foam is a sign of agitation; some peptides aggregate when shaken. Note it on the label.

The solution is cloudy or has particles

Do not use it. Cloudiness can indicate incomplete dissolution, contamination or degradation. Record the lot and contact the supplier with the certificate of analysis.

The powder cake looks melted or shrunken before reconstitution

This can indicate the vial was exposed to heat or moisture. Record the lot and condition on arrival.

Liquid sprayed back when the needle was removed

Pressure built up in the vial. Withdraw a small volume of air while adding diluent to keep pressure neutral.

Regulatory status

Status

Approved by the FDA as Victoza (original approval 2010) as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults and pediatric patients aged 10 years and older with type 2 diabetes, and to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease ^1,3. Approved as Saxenda (original approval 2014) with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity to reduce excess body weight and maintain weight reduction long term in adults and pediatric patients aged 12 years and older with body weight above 60 kg and obesity, and in adults with overweight and at least one weight-related comorbid condition ^2,3.

United States (FDA)

Approved under NDA 022341 (Victoza, original approval January 2010) and NDA 206321 (Saxenda, original approval December 2014), per Drugs@FDA application records ^3. Current FDA labels were reviewed from DailyMed ^1,2.

Sport (WADA)

Liraglutide is not named on the WADA 2026 Prohibited List ^7. The WADA announcement of the 2027 List addressed GLP-1 receptor agonists as a class, naming semaglutide and tirzepatide, and stated that their status remains unchanged for 2027 pending further data ^6.

Status varies by country and changes over time. How we describe regulatory status.

Liraglutide compared with related compounds

Frequently asked questions

References

1. VICTOZA (liraglutide) injection: prescribing information (Novo Nordisk), DailyMed set ID 5a9ef4ea-c76a-4d34-a604-27c5b505f5a4 FDA label (DailyMed). 2025
2. SAXENDA (liraglutide) injection: prescribing information (Novo Nordisk), DailyMed set ID 3946d389-0926-4f77-a708-0acb8153b143 FDA label (DailyMed). 2026
3. Drugs@FDA application records for NDA 022341 (Victoza) and NDA 206321 (Saxenda): original approval dates Drugs@FDA (via openFDA). 2026
4. A Randomized, Controlled Trial of 3.0 mg of Liraglutide in Weight Management (SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes) N Engl J Med. 2015
5. Liraglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes (LEADER) N Engl J Med. 2016
6. WADA publishes 2027 Prohibited List (news release, 21 September 2026) WADA. 2026
7. International Standard Prohibited List 2026 WADA Prohibited List. 2026