Liraglutide Dosage: Saxenda & Victoza Titration
Last updated May 19, 2026 · Reviewed by Grey Peptides Editorial Board · ✓ Based on FDA labeling
← Liraglutide encyclopedia entry · See also: Semaglutide dosage · Tirzepatide dosage
Liraglutide is an FDA-approved daily GLP-1 receptor agonist sold as Victoza (type 2 diabetes, approved 2010) and Saxenda (chronic weight management, approved 2014). The two brands are the same molecule at different maximum doses.
Unlike weekly semaglutide and tirzepatide, liraglutide is injected once daily, and both brands use a stepwise titration ladder to limit nausea: Saxenda climbs to 3.0 mg, Victoza to 1.8 mg.
This page summarizes the FDA labels for education. It is a prescription medicine; dosing is individualized and supervised by a clinician.
The short version
Liraglutide was the first GLP-1 approved in the US for weight loss, and it remains a useful reference point precisely because it is the daily member of the class. Its titration logic is identical in spirit to the weekly drugs — start low, step up to limit gastrointestinal side effects — but the steps happen on a daily dose and a weekly cadence of increases. Getting that distinction right is the whole point: a "0.6 mg" liraglutide dose is daily, not weekly.
Saxenda titration (chronic weight management)
Per the Saxenda label, the dose is increased by 0.6 mg at weekly intervals to reach the 3.0 mg maintenance dose, which limits the GI symptoms that come with starting too high.
| Week | Daily dose |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.6 mg |
| 2 | 1.2 mg |
| 3 | 1.8 mg |
| 4 | 2.4 mg |
| 5+ | 3.0 mg (maintenance) |
Two label points matter. If a patient cannot tolerate the 3.0 mg dose, the guidance is to discontinue rather than settle at a lower dose, because weight-management efficacy was not established below 3.0 mg. And response is assessed at 16 weeks: if a patient has not lost at least 4% of baseline body weight, continuing is unlikely to help.
Victoza titration (type 2 diabetes)
Victoza tops out lower. The 0.6 mg starting dose is explicitly a tolerability step, not a therapeutic dose for blood-sugar control.
| Step | Daily dose |
|---|---|
| Week 1 (starting) | 0.6 mg |
| Then | 1.2 mg |
| If more control needed | 1.8 mg (max) |
How it compares — and the injection itself
In head-to-head terms, liraglutide produces less weight loss on average than semaglutide or tirzepatide, which is part of why it is often not the first choice when the newer weekly agents are available. It is delivered by a multi-dose prefilled pen (no reconstitution) into the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm. If a dose is missed for more than three days, the label advises re-starting the titration at 0.6 mg to re-acclimate. Standard GLP-1 contraindications apply, including a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2. For a side-by-side of the class, see the semaglutide and tirzepatide dosage pages; our GLP-1 Titration Planner cover the math.
Frequently asked questions
Can the titration go slower?
The label allows delaying an up-titration by about a week if GI symptoms are significant; the prescriber manages this. The direction of travel is still toward the target dose.
Is there a generic?
A generic liraglutide injection launched in late 2024 for the diabetes indication, which changed the cost picture relative to the brand pens.
Why start at a dose that "doesn't work"?
The 0.6 mg start is purely to let the gut adjust; it is below the therapeutic range on purpose, which is why the label says not to stay there.
Sources
- Saxenda (liraglutide) U.S. Prescribing Information — FDA, approved 2014.
- Victoza (liraglutide) U.S. Prescribing Information — FDA, approved 2010.
- Pi-Sunyer X, et al. SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes trial. N Engl J Med. 2015;373:11–22.
Medical disclaimer: Education only, not medical advice. Liraglutide is a prescription medicine; dosing is individualized by a prescriber. Consult a licensed clinician.