Saxenda (Liraglutide 3 mg)
Saxenda is Novo Nordisk’s brand of liraglutide 3 mg, a once-daily injection approved for chronic weight management in 2014. It was the first modern GLP-1 weight-loss drug, and it is still prescribed at BeLite for selected patients. A generic version has been available since August 2025.
The essentials
- Drug: liraglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist. Full details on the liraglutide page.
- Dose: daily injection, stepped up from 0.6 mg to 3 mg over five weeks.
- Expected result: about 8% average weight loss at one year in the SCALE trial, versus roughly 15% for Wegovy and 21% for Zepbound in their trials.
- Approved for: adults with a BMI of 30 or higher, or 27 or higher with a weight-related condition; adolescents 12 and older with obesity and body weight over 60 kg.
- Not for: anyone with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2; pregnancy; use with another GLP-1 drug.
- Common side effects: nausea, constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, headache, mainly early in treatment.
Saxenda, generic liraglutide, or something newer?
The Saxenda pen and generic liraglutide are the same medication; the difference is price, and the generic is usually much cheaper. Whether liraglutide at all is the right choice depends on how much weight you want to lose and what your insurance covers. For most patients seeking a large weight loss, Wegovy or Zepbound is the better choice. For patients who want a pill, Foundayo now offers weight loss in a similar range to Saxenda with no injections.
Saxenda at BeLite
Bring your current prescription information to your visit. If Saxenda has worked for you before, we can continue it; if you have plateaued, your provider will lay out the alternatives.
Ready to find out which medication fits you? BeLite Medical Center’s medical providers have been prescribing weight-loss medication in Fairfax since 1995. Schedule online 24/7 at belitecom.simplybook.me or call or text (703) 359-9200. The consultation is free for new patients; the $150 new-patient fee applies only if you enroll.
Disclaimer
This page is general information, not medical advice. Whether any medication is right for you depends on your health history and can only be decided by a licensed medical provider after an evaluation. Prescription medications are prescribed only after an in-person visit at BeLite Medical Center, 3923 Blenheim Blvd, Suite 61A, Fairfax, VA 22030.
Sources (verified September 7, 2026)
- Pi-Sunyer X et al. A Randomized, Controlled Trial of 3.0 mg of Liraglutide in Weight Management (SCALE). N Engl J Med. 2015;373(1):11-22. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26132939/
- Teva press release, August 28, 2025: FDA approval and launch of generic Saxenda (liraglutide injection). https://www.drugtopics.com/view/fda-approves-first-generic-glp-1-liraglutide-for-weight-loss
Medications
Liraglutide
Everything about the molecule, including the generic.
Wegovy
The weekly injection with roughly double the weight loss.
Foundayo
A daily pill with results in a similar range, no needles.
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