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Comparison

Liraglutide vs Semaglutide

Both are GLP-1 & incretins, so the meaningful differences are in kinetics, evidence and regulatory status.

Liraglutide Semaglutide
Class GLP-1 & incretins GLP-1 & incretins
Evidence Regulator approved Regulator approved
Human trials ~70 ~90
Half-life ~13 hours ~7 days
Reported range 600 mcg - 3 mg 250 mcg - 2.4 mg
Frequency Once daily, titrated weekly Once weekly, titrated over 16+ weeks
Routes Subcutaneous Subcutaneous, Oral
FDA approved Yes Yes
Research use only No No
Banned in sport No No
Studied for Type 2 diabetes, Chronic weight management Type 2 diabetes, Chronic weight management, Cardiovascular risk reduction
Reported side effects Nausea, Diarrhoea, Vomiting, Headache, Injection-site reactions Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhoea, Constipation, Abdominal pain, Injection-site reactions

Liraglutide

Liraglutide is a GLP-1 analog with 97% homology to the native hormone, modified by a C16 palmitic acid chain attached via a glutamic acid spacer. Albumin binding and self-association slow absorption enough for once-daily dosing, but not weekly. Its mechanism is otherwise the same as semaglutide: glucose-dependent insulinotropic action, glucagon suppression, delayed gastric emptying and central appetite reduction. Weight loss in the SCALE programme averaged around 8%, materially below the newer agents.

Semaglutide

Semaglutide is a GLP-1 analog with roughly 94% homology to native GLP-1, modified by substituting alpha-aminoisobutyric acid at position 8 to resist DPP-4 cleavage and by attaching a C18 fatty diacid chain that binds albumin. Together these give a half-life of about a week, allowing once-weekly dosing. It lowers blood glucose through glucose-dependent insulin secretion and glucagon suppression, slows gastric emptying, and acts on hypothalamic appetite centres to reduce energy intake. The STEP trial programme reported mean weight reductions near 15% of body weight at 68 weeks on 2.4 mg weekly.

Liraglutide vs Semaglutide: common questions

What is the difference between Liraglutide and Semaglutide?

Both are GLP-1 & incretins. Liraglutide: The first-generation daily GLP-1 agonist, largely superseded by weekly agents but still widely prescribed. Semaglutide: A long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist and the compound that reset expectations for pharmacological weight loss.

Which has stronger evidence, Liraglutide or Semaglutide?

They sit at the same evidence level: regulator approved. Liraglutide has about 70 human studies and Semaglutide about 90.

Are Liraglutide and Semaglutide FDA approved?

Both are FDA approved. Liraglutide: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (Victoza); Reducing the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease (Victoza, 2017); Type 2 diabetes in children aged 10 and older (Victoza, 2019); Chronic weight management (Saxenda); Chronic weight management in adolescents aged 12 and older with obesity (Saxenda, 2020). Semaglutide: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (Ozempic, Rybelsus); Chronic weight management (Wegovy); Cardiovascular risk reduction in established CVD with overweight or obesity; Reducing the risk of kidney disease progression and cardiovascular death in adults with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease (Ozempic, January 2025); Noncirrhotic MASH with moderate to advanced liver fibrosis in adults (Wegovy, accelerated approval August 2025).

References

Regulatory and primary sources

  1. PubChem compound record (CID 16134956) ↗ · structure, identifiers, synonyms
  2. DailyMed: FDA-approved labeling for Liraglutide ↗ · indications, dosing, warnings as approved
  3. FDA Drugs@FDA database ↗ · approval history
  4. CAS Registry Number 204656-20-2 ↗ · chemical identity
  5. PubChem compound record (CID 56843331) ↗ · structure, identifiers, synonyms
  6. DailyMed: FDA-approved labeling for Semaglutide ↗ · indications, dosing, warnings as approved
  7. FDA Drugs@FDA database ↗ · approval history
  8. CAS Registry Number 910463-68-2 ↗ · chemical identity

Published literature

  1. Rubino DM, Greenway FL, Khalid U, et al.. Effect of Weekly Subcutaneous Semaglutide vs Daily Liraglutide on Body Weight in Adults With Overweight or Obesity Without Diabetes: The STEP 8 Randomized Clinical Trial.JAMA 2022.PubMed 35015037 · doi:10.1001/jama.2021.23619
  2. Marso SP, Daniels GH, Brown-Frandsen K, et al.. Liraglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes.N Engl J Med 2016.PubMed 27295427 · doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1603827
  3. Fox CK, Barrientos-Pérez M, Bomberg EM, et al.. Liraglutide for Children 6 to <12 Years of Age with Obesity - A Randomized Trial.N Engl J Med 2025.PubMed 39258838 · doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2407379
  4. Pi-Sunyer X, Astrup A, Fujioka K, et al.. A Randomized, Controlled Trial of 3.0 mg of Liraglutide in Weight Management.N Engl J Med 2015.PubMed 26132939 · doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1411892
  5. Lundgren JR, Janus C, Jensen SBK, et al.. Healthy Weight Loss Maintenance with Exercise, Liraglutide, or Both Combined.N Engl J Med 2021.PubMed 33951361 · doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2028198
  6. Armstrong MJ, Gaunt P, Aithal GP, et al.. Liraglutide safety and efficacy in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (LEAN): a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled phase 2 study.Lancet 2016.PubMed 26608256 · doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(15)00803-X
  7. Kelly AS, Auerbach P, Barrientos-Perez M, et al.. A Randomized, Controlled Trial of Liraglutide for Adolescents with Obesity.N Engl J Med 2020.PubMed 32233338 · doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1916038
  8. Capehorn MS, Catarig AM, Furberg JK, et al.. Efficacy and safety of once-weekly semaglutide 1.0mg vs once-daily liraglutide 1.2mg as add-on to 1-3 oral antidiabetic drugs in subjects with type 2 diabetes (SUSTAIN 10).Diabetes Metab 2020.PubMed 31539622 · doi:10.1016/j.diabet.2019.101117
  9. Wilding JPH, Batterham RL, Davies M, et al.. Weight regain and cardiometabolic effects after withdrawal of semaglutide: The STEP 1 trial extension.Diabetes Obes Metab 2022.PubMed 35441470 · doi:10.1111/dom.14725
  10. Wilding JPH, Batterham RL, Calanna S, et al.. Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity.N Engl J Med 2021.PubMed 33567185 · doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2032183
  11. Rubino D, Abrahamsson N, Davies M, et al.. Effect of Continued Weekly Subcutaneous Semaglutide vs Placebo on Weight Loss Maintenance in Adults With Overweight or Obesity: The STEP 4 Randomized Clinical Trial.JAMA 2021.PubMed 33755728 · doi:10.1001/jama.2021.3224
  12. Aronne LJ, Horn DB, le Roux CW, et al.. Tirzepatide as Compared with Semaglutide for the Treatment of Obesity.N Engl J Med 2025.PubMed 40353578 · doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2416394
  13. Wharton S, Freitas P, Hjelmesæth J, et al.. Once-weekly semaglutide 7·2 mg in adults with obesity (STEP UP): a randomised, controlled, phase 3b trial.Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 2025.PubMed 40961952 · doi:10.1016/S2213-8587(25)00226-8
  14. Lincoff AM, Brown-Frandsen K, Colhoun HM, et al.. Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Obesity without Diabetes.N Engl J Med 2023.PubMed 37952131 · doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2307563
  15. Frías JP, Davies MJ, Rosenstock J, et al.. Tirzepatide versus Semaglutide Once Weekly in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.N Engl J Med 2021.PubMed 34170647 · doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2107519

Literature retrieved from PubMed on October 16, 2026, favouring human studies and reviews. Numbered markers in the text show which paper supports which statement; uncited entries are background reading.

Read this first This page compares published reference data. It is not medical advice and not a recommendation to use either compound. Several compounds documented on this site are not approved for human use.