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Is Saxenda still available in Australia?

GLP Guidebook teamUpdated 12 Oct 20268 sourcesWritten from published sources
The short answer

No. Novo Nordisk discontinued Saxenda (liraglutide 3 mg) in Australia, and it has not been sold here since December 2025. Generic liraglutide pens of the same 6 mg/mL strength are on the Australian register, added between March 2025 and February 2026. Liraglutide is injected daily, unlike weekly Wegovy or Mounjaro.

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  • Every GLP‑1 medicine is prescription-only in Australia, so a prescriber has to assess you first.1
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Why was Saxenda discontinued?

Novo Nordisk told health professionals in May 2025 that it would discontinue Saxenda and focus on Wegovy, its weekly semaglutide.2

Supply was limited until December 2025, and the letter said Saxenda “will not be available for purchase in Australia after December 2025”.2 Saxenda still appears on the Australian register, where it was entered in December 2015.3 A register entry doesn't mean a medicine is being supplied. Victoza, Novo Nordisk's liraglutide for type 2 diabetes, is a separate product with its own entry.3

What are the generic liraglutide pens?

Eight liraglutide 6 mg/mL pens from other companies are on the register, entered between 6 March 2025 and 3 February 2026.3

The approvals reported in March 2025 named Saxenda as the reference product. They cover weight management in adults with a BMI of 30 or more, or 27 or more with a weight-related condition.4 The register doesn't show which pens are stocked; a pharmacist can tell you. Neither Saxenda nor Wegovy is PBS-listed.2 The PBAC's summary notes that liraglutide was never submitted to the PBS for obesity.5

How does liraglutide differ from Wegovy?

Liraglutide is injected once a day, rising from 0.6 mg to 3.0 mg, while Wegovy and Mounjaro are once a week.6,7,8

On Saxenda's label the dose goes up 0.6 mg at a time, at least a week apart, to help the stomach adjust.6 Novo Nordisk's letter cites the STEP 8 trial, in which people on Wegovy lost 17% of their body weight on average (about 15 kg for someone starting at 90 kg, or 198 lb), against 7% (about 6 kg) on Saxenda. Stomach side effects were similar: about 84 in 100 people on Wegovy and 83 in 100 on Saxenda had them.2 That is the maker's summary of its own trial. Switching medicines is a decision for your prescriber; see Guide 6.

RisksThe risks, in brief
  • Stomach effects are very common on liraglutide and on Wegovy: more than 8 in 10 people in STEP 8.2
  • Pancreatitis and gallbladder inflammation are listed as uncommon (1 in 100 to 1 in 1,000) on the Australian Saxenda label.6
  • Weight-loss figures are averages from a trial; individual results vary.2
Full detail in Guide 5: Side effects and risks →

Read the full picture

Related questions

Is there a generic semaglutide in Australia? How much is Wegovy in Australia? What BMI do I need for Wegovy or Mounjaro in Australia? Can I get Ozempic for weight loss in Australia?
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Sources

  1. TGA. Counterfeit weight loss products claiming to contain GLP-1. Safety advisory, 2 Mar 2026. tga.gov.au
  2. Novo Nordisk Australia. Important information: discontinuation of Saxenda (liraglutide) in Australia. Letter to health professionals, May 2025. novonordisk.com.au (PDF)
  3. TGA. ARTG search for 'liraglutide': 11 results, checked 12 Oct 2026. tga.gov.au
  4. Pearce IP. Approval alert: Cipla's generic liraglutide second to be approved in Australia, 12 Mar 2025. Law-firm report. pearceip.law
  5. PBS. PBAC advice: equitable access to GLP-1 obesity treatments. pbs.gov.au
  6. Novo Nordisk. Saxenda (liraglutide) Australian Product Information, revised 26 Jun 2026, sections 4.2 and 4.8. Australian label. medsinfo.com.au (PDF)
  7. Novo Nordisk. Wegovy (semaglutide) Australian Product Information, date of revision 22 Jun 2026, sections 2, 4.1, 4.2, 4.8 and 6.4. Australian label. medsinfo.com.au (PDF)
  8. Eli Lilly. Mounjaro and Mounjaro KwikPen (tirzepatide) Australian Product Information, vA14.0, date of revision 2 Oct 2026, sections 2, 4.1, 4.2, 4.5, 4.8, 6.4 to 6.6. Australian label. medsinfo.com.au (PDF)

Last checked 12 Oct 2026 · Next review due 12 Oct 2027 · Report an error

How this answer was made. Written by the GLP Guidebook team from the sources above, all checked on 12 Oct 2026. We don't publish medicine prices, and we don't name, rank or link to sellers or telehealth services. It's general information, not medical advice, and nothing here is an offer to supply any medicine. Talk to a GP, pharmacist or other qualified prescriber before starting, stopping or changing any medicine. How we write