On August 28, 2025, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Teva Pharmaceuticals’ generic to Novo Nordisk’s Saxenda® (liraglutide injection). This is the first generic glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist approved for use as an adjunct to diet and exercise for chronic weight management. Unfortunately, utilization of Saxenda has significantly declined in recent years and now represents less than 1% of the anti-obesity medication market. This decline is a direct result of the entrance of more effective agents including Wegovy (semaglutide), approved in 2021, and Zepbound (tirzepatide), approved in 2023. Wegovy and Zepbound also have a more convenient dosing regimen as once-weekly injections, compared with Saxenda, which requires a daily injection. The annual wholesale acquisition cost (WAC) of generic Saxenda is approximately $14,000, this is about a 14% discount to the brand product and is priced very similarly to Zepbound. As additional generic versions of Saxenda launch in the coming years, generic prices will likely decrease further.
