Terminal / Weight Loss

Liraglutide

Approved

aka Saxenda, Victoza

The original once-daily GLP-1. Semaglutide's older, shorter-acting predecessor.

Mechanism

A GLP-1 agonist you inject daily instead of weekly. Same idea as semaglutide, slows the stomach and raises satiety, just an older and shorter-acting molecule. It was the first GLP-1 to get the green light for chronic weight management.

Regulatory & Safety Status

Approved: Victoza for diabetes, Saxenda for obesity. Prescription drug, mostly superseded by the weekly options now.

Research

2026Endocrine practice : official journal of the American College of Endocrinology and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists

Safety and efficacy of glucagon like peptide-1 receptor agonism-based therapies in end-stage renal disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis

2026Journal of diabetes investigation

Liraglutide reprograms vascular smooth muscle cell metabolism to suppress extracellular matrix remodeling in diabetic atherosclerosis

2026Molecular and cellular biochemistry

Liraglutide affects mitochondrial function and histone acetylation through the NQO1/SIRT3 pathway in diabetic kidney disease

2026Microbiology spectrum

Effects of liraglutide on gut bacterial community dynamics

2024PubMed

Latest liraglutide research

Related Compounds

Weight Loss

Semaglutide

Approved

Approved GLP-1 agonist. The drug that kicked off the whole weight-loss gold rush.

Weight Loss

Tirzepatide

Approved

Approved dual agonist (GLP-1 and GIP). Currently the strongest thing you can get with a prescription.