Semaglutide vs liraglutide
Two GLP-1 receptor agonists from the same maker — Ozempic/Wegovy and Victoza/Saxenda — set side by side: the newer weekly injection against the older daily one.
Both are approved prescription medicines. Buying either without a prescription, or as grey-market powder, is a different matter — see legal status. This is a factual comparison, not medical advice.
| SemaglutideOzempic, Wegovy | LiraglutideVictoza, Saxenda | |
|---|---|---|
| Receptor | GLP-1 | GLP-1 |
| Status | Approved | Approved |
| Frequency | Once weekly (oral daily as Rybelsus) | Once daily |
| Half-life | ~1 week | ~13 hours |
| Weight brand | Wegovy | Saxenda |
| Diabetes brand | Ozempic | Victoza |
The short version
Same drug class, same receptor, same manufacturer — the differences are duration and strength. Liraglutide came first: a daily injection with a roughly 13-hour half-life. Semaglutide is the newer molecule, engineered to last about a week, so it is dosed weekly and has produced larger average weight loss in trials. Where semaglutide has since been overtaken on weight loss by the dual and triple agonists, liraglutide is now the older option of the class — still approved and widely used, but no longer the strongest.
Wider context: reta vs tirzepatide vs semaglutide · all GLP-1 & weight-loss peptides.