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Generic liraglutide vs Saxenda: is there a difference?

The UK liraglutide brands for weight and diabetes, how generics are approved, trial results, side effects and the NHS route.

GLP Guidebook teamPublished 12 Oct 20268 min read19 sourcesWritten from published sources

Written for the UK. Reading from India? India version

The short answer

Generic liraglutide contains the same medicine as Saxenda, at the same doses, with the same 12-week stopping rule. Biolide, Nevolat and Plaobes are licensed for weight; other brands are for diabetes only. The pens differ. In the main trial, weight fell 8.0% on liraglutide against 2.6% on a dummy injection.

Key takeaways

  • Generic liraglutide brands licensed for weight in the UK, Biolide, Nevolat and Plaobes, contain the same medicine as Saxenda at the same 0.6 to 3.0 mg daily doses.1,2,3,4
  • The MHRA says liraglutide’s licensed use is brand specific, so diabetes brands such as Diavic are not licensed for weight loss.5,6
  • In the SCALE trial on the UK Saxenda label, weight fell 8.0% over 56 weeks on liraglutide 3.0 mg, against 2.6% on a dummy injection.4
  • The UK Saxenda and Biolide labels both say stop after 12 weeks on 3.0 mg if at least 5% of starting weight has not been lost.1,4
  • NICE limits NHS liraglutide for weight to people with a BMI of 35 or more, prediabetes and high heart risk, in specialist services.7
On this page
  1. What is liraglutide, and how is it different?
  2. Which liraglutide brands are licensed in the UK?
  3. Is a generic liraglutide the same as Saxenda?
  4. How much weight did people lose on liraglutide?
  5. What are the side effects?
  6. Is liraglutide available on the NHS?
  7. Questions people ask
  8. How we researched this

What is liraglutide, and how is it different from Wegovy or Mounjaro?

Liraglutide is an older GLP‑1 medicine, taken as a daily injection. Saxenda is the original weight brand; since 2025 generic versions are also sold in the UK.4,8

Before you go further
  • GLP‑1 medicines are prescription-only in the UK. On the NHS or privately, a healthcare professional has to assess you before a prescription is issued.5
  • The label facts here come from the UK product information (the SmPC, the official label each maker publishes on the electronic Medicines Compendium). Where we use a US or EU label instead, we say so.
  • The MHRA says to talk to a healthcare professional before switching between GLP‑1 medicines, including between brands of the same medicine.5
  • Every risk of these medicines is in Guide 5: Side effects and risks.
  • This post describes labels, guidance and trials. It is not a plan for your treatment, and no dose or brand guarantees any result.

The medicine is what works in your body; the brand is the name on the box. Paracetamol works the same whatever the brand on the packet. Liraglutide is likewise sold under several brand names, and the MHRA says its licensed use is "brand specific".5

Liraglutide leaves the body much faster than semaglutide (Wegovy) or tirzepatide (Mounjaro). Its half-life is about 13 hours, so it is injected every day.4 NICE noted in 2023 that people lose more weight with semaglutide than with liraglutide.9

Which liraglutide brands are licensed in the UK?

Four brands are licensed for weight and three for type 2 diabetes. Each brand is licensed for one use, so a diabetes pen is not a weight pen.5,10

BrandMaker (licence holder)Licensed for
Saxendathe original weight brandNovo NordiskWeight management, adults and ages 12+4
BiolideBioconWeight management1
NevolatZentivaWeight management2
PlaobesCiplaWeight management3
Liraglutide BioconBioconType 2 diabetes, ages 10+11
DiavicSun PharmaType 2 diabetes, ages 10+6
Zegluxen (Liraglutide Zentiva)ZentivaType 2 diabetes, ages 10+12

All 6 mg/ml pens, listed on the electronic Medicines Compendium on 12 Oct 2026, not ranked.10 We list makers, not sellers, and give no prices.

Biocon launched its two brands in the UK on 28 February 2025. It says it was the first generics company approved for liraglutide in a major regulated market.8 Victoza, Novo Nordisk's original diabetes brand, no longer appeared on the UK medicines database when we checked.10

Is a generic liraglutide the same as Saxenda?

It has the same medicine, the same strength and the same dose steps. The pens differ, so the brand you get matters for needles and instructions.1,4,13

Under UK rules, a generic must have the same active substance and form as the original and be shown to act the same way in the body (bioequivalent).13 It can then rely on the original's clinical trials, if the original has been licensed for at least 8 years.13 Biolide's UK label reports the same SCALE trial results as Saxenda's, with the same 2,437 people on liraglutide.1,4

  • Same dose steps. Both labels start at 0.6 mg a day and rise in 0.6 mg steps, at least a week apart, to 3.0 mg.1,4
  • Same stopping rule. Both say to stop after 12 weeks on 3.0 mg if at least 5% of starting weight has not been lost.1,4
  • Different needles. Saxenda is designed for NovoFine or NovoTwist needles. Biolide and Nevolat name BD Ultra-Fine or NovoFine needles.1,2,4

Each pen holds 18 mg in 3 ml, and delivers doses of 0.6 mg up to 3.0 mg.4 At 3.0 mg a day, one pen lasts 6 days, by our arithmetic. Once in use it keeps for 1 month below 30°C or in a fridge.4

How much weight did people lose on liraglutide?

In the main trial, people lost 8.0% of their weight over 56 weeks on liraglutide 3.0 mg, against 2.6% on a dummy injection.4

In a trial, people are split at random. One group gets a dummy injection (placebo), and everyone gets the same diet and activity advice. The gap between groups is what the medicine added.

SCALELiraglutide 3.0 mg daily vs dummy injection

3,731 adults with obesity, or overweight with high blood pressure or blood fats (3,662 in the main analysis), average weight 106.3 kg (16 st 10 lb), 56 weeks. UK Saxenda label figures.4

Lost at least 5% of their weight

Liraglutide 3.0 mg63.5%
Dummy injection26.6%

Average loss: 8.4 kg on liraglutide, against 2.8 kg on the dummy.

Put another way. About 1 in 3 (32.8%) lost more than 10%, against 1 in 10 (10.1%) on the dummy.4 More than a third on liraglutide did not reach 5%, by our arithmetic.

A worked example. For someone starting at 90 kg (14 st 2 lb), 8.0% is about 7 kg (1 st 2 lb), by our arithmetic. Wegovy 2.4 mg gave 15.6% in a different trial, STEP UP.14 Separate trials can't be compared directly; see Wegovy vs Mounjaro.

Free toolQuestions before you switch brands

Builds a printable list for your prescriber or pharmacist, including your pen and needles. No sign-up.

Open the question list

What are the side effects?

Mostly stomach effects. On the UK Saxenda label, feeling sick, vomiting, diarrhoea and constipation are very common, and 67.9% had some stomach reaction during treatment.4

  • Very common (more than 1 in 10): feeling sick, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation and headache.4
  • Common (1 in 10 to 1 in 100): gallstones, hypos, trouble sleeping, dizziness, indigestion, reflux, tiredness and injection-site reactions.4
  • Uncommon (1 in 100 to 1 in 1,000): pancreatitis, an inflamed gallbladder, dehydration and a fast heartbeat.4
  • Rare (1 in 1,000 to 1 in 10,000): kidney failure, and severe allergic reactions.4

The label also says to use liraglutide with caution in people with thyroid disease, and to check heart rate, which rose in trials.4 Because the generics copy Saxenda, their labels list the same warnings.1

RisksThe risks, in brief
  • Stomach effects are very common on the UK Saxenda label (more than 1 in 10).4
  • Pancreatitis is uncommon (1 in 100 to 1 in 1,000); the MHRA sign is severe, persistent stomach pain that may spread to the back.4,15
  • Gallstones are common, and only partly explained by weight loss, the label says.4
  • Dehydration is uncommon but can lead to kidney problems.4
  • Not in pregnancy. Liraglutide should not be used in pregnancy; the MHRA says stop it just before trying to conceive.4,5
Full detail in Guide 5: Side effects and risks →
Get help now: call 999 for a life-threatening emergency.16 Call for severe stomach pain that won’t go away, especially if it spreads to your back.15 For urgent advice that is not an emergency, use NHS 111 in England, Scotland and Wales, online or by phone.17 Northern Ireland has no 111 service: call your GP practice or the GP out-of-hours service.18

Is liraglutide available on the NHS?

For weight, only in narrow cases through specialist services. NICE's 2020 guidance limits it to people with a BMI of 35 or more, prediabetes and high heart risk.7

  • BMI: at least 35, or at least 32.5 for some minority ethnic groups at equal risk at a lower BMI.7
  • Prediabetes (non-diabetic hyperglycaemia): an HbA1c of 42 to 47 mmol/mol (6.0% to 6.4%).7
  • Heart risk: a high risk of heart disease, from things such as high blood pressure or blood fats.7
  • Setting: prescribed by a specialist tier 3 weight management service.7

NICE quoted Saxenda's list price as £196.20 for 5 pens in 2020, before any generics, with a confidential NHS discount.7 We found no official UK list price for the generic brands. For diabetes, NICE's 2026 guideline includes liraglutide among the GLP‑1 medicines it recommends at class level.19 Mounjaro and Wegovy routes are in Mounjaro on the NHS.

Questions people ask

Is Biolide the same as Saxenda?

Both contain liraglutide 6 mg/ml, with the same doses and stopping rule, and Biolide’s UK label reports Saxenda’s trial results. The pens and recommended needles differ.1,4

Can I use a diabetes liraglutide pen for weight loss?

The MHRA says liraglutide’s licensed use is brand specific. Liraglutide Biocon, Diavic and Zegluxen are licensed for type 2 diabetes, not weight.5,6,11,12

Is liraglutide as effective as Wegovy?

NICE noted that people lose more weight with semaglutide (Wegovy) than with liraglutide.9 In liraglutide’s main trial, weight fell 8.0% against 2.6% on a dummy.4

Can I switch from Saxenda to a generic?

The MHRA says to talk to a healthcare professional before switching between brands, even of the same medicine.5

Is Victoza still available in the UK?

We found no Victoza listing on the UK medicines database in October 2026. Generic liraglutide pens for type 2 diabetes are listed.10

Shorter answers: Is it safe to get Mounjaro online in the UK?

How we researched this

On 12 Oct 2026 we searched the electronic Medicines Compendium for liraglutide and read the UK labels for Saxenda and six generic brands. We read MHRA guidance on generic licences and GLP‑1 medicines, NICE TA664, TA875 and NG28, and Biocon’s launch release.

We name the makers on each licence, not any seller, and rank no brand. We found no official UK list price for generic liraglutide, so we give none. NICE’s Saxenda price dates from 2020.

Before you move on

  • Generic liraglutide has the same medicine and doses as Saxenda; the pens differ.
  • Each brand is licensed for weight or for diabetes, not both.
  • In the main trial, weight fell 8.0% on liraglutide against 2.6% on a dummy injection.
  • The MHRA says to talk to a healthcare professional before switching brands.
Side effects and risksI'm considering it for my weightDoctor questions tool

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About GLP Guidebook

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An independent guide to GLP‑1 medicines. We don't sell medicines, take drug-company money or earn clinic commissions. Once a month: NHS access changes, approvals, safety notices and recalls. How we write

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Sources

  1. Biocon Pharma UK. BIOLIDE 6 mg/ml pen (liraglutide): UK SmPC, first authorised 12 April 2024. Sections 4.1, 4.2, 5.1 (Table 4), 6.4, 6.6. emc
  2. Zentiva Pharma UK. Nevolat 6 mg/ml pen (liraglutide): UK SmPC, first authorised 27 March 2024, revised 15 December 2025. Sections 4.1, 5.1, 6.6. emc
  3. Cipla (EU). Plaobes 6 mg/ml pen (liraglutide): UK SmPC, first authorised 19 November 2024, revised 12 August 2025. Sections 4.1, 6.6. emc
  4. Novo Nordisk. Saxenda (liraglutide) 6 mg/ml pen: UK SmPC, date of revision 11/2025. Sections 4.1, 4.2, 4.4, 4.6, 4.8, 5.1, 5.2, 6.3, 6.4. emc
  5. MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency). GLP‑1 medicines for weight loss and diabetes: what you need to know. First published 5 June 2025, updated 5 February 2026. gov.uk
  6. Sun Pharma UK. Diavic 6 mg/ml pen (liraglutide): UK SmPC, first authorised 25 June 2024, revised 12 August 2025. Section 4.1 (type 2 diabetes). emc
  7. NICE. Liraglutide for managing overweight and obesity (TA664), recommendation 1.1 and section 2.3 (price). Published 9 December 2020. Recommendations · Price
  8. Biocon Limited. Biocon Limited launches its GLP‑1, liraglutide, in the United Kingdom. Press release filed with Indian stock exchanges, 28 February 2025. biocon.com (PDF)
  9. NICE. Semaglutide for managing overweight and obesity (TA875), recommendations 1.1 and 1.2. Published 8 March 2023, last updated 4 September 2023. nice.org.uk
  10. Electronic Medicines Compendium (emc). Search for “liraglutide”, 12 October 2026: Saxenda, Biolide, Nevolat, Plaobes, Liraglutide Biocon, Diavic and Zegluxen (Liraglutide Zentiva) listed; no Victoza listing returned. emc search
  11. Biocon Pharma UK. Liraglutide Biocon 6 mg/ml pen: UK SmPC, first authorised 12 April 2024. Section 4.1 (type 2 diabetes). emc
  12. Zentiva Pharma UK. Liraglutide Zentiva 6 mg/ml pen (listed on emc as Zegluxen): UK SmPC, first authorised 25 March 2024, revised 15 December 2025. Section 4.1 (type 2 diabetes). emc
  13. MHRA. Types of application for marketing authorisations (legal basis of applications): generic applications. Updated 30 June 2025. gov.uk
  14. Novo Nordisk. Wegovy FlexTouch (semaglutide) pens: UK summary of product characteristics (SmPC), date of revision 09/2026. Sections 4.1, 4.2, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.8, 5.1, 5.2, 6.3, 6.4. emc
  15. MHRA. Drug Safety Update: GLP‑1 receptor agonists and dual GLP‑1/GIP receptor agonists: strengthened warnings on acute pancreatitis, including necrotising and fatal cases. Volume 19, issue 6, 29 January 2026. gov.uk
  16. NHS. When to call 999. Page last reviewed 3 February 2023. nhs.uk
  17. NHS. When to use NHS 111 online or call 111. Opened 12 October 2026. nhs.uk
  18. nidirect (Northern Ireland government). GP out of hours service. Opened 12 October 2026. nidirect.gov.uk
  19. NICE. Type 2 diabetes in adults: management (NG28). Published 2 December 2015, last updated 18 February 2026. Recommendations 1.5.7 and 1.13 to 1.29. Blood glucose management · Initial medicines · Further medication · Reviewing medicines · Terms

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

How this post was made. Written by the GLP Guidebook team from the sources above. It's general information, not medical advice. Talk to a qualified doctor, nurse or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine. How we write