Why is Wegovy more effective than Saxenda for weight loss?
Wegovy is more effective than Saxenda primarily because it contains semaglutide, a medication with a longer half-life that produces more gradual and sustained effects in the body compared to Saxenda’s liraglutide. Both medications act on the GLP-1 receptor to reduce appetite, but semaglutide’s pharmacological properties allow it to achieve substantially greater weight-loss outcomes. Additionally, Wegovy’s once-weekly dosing schedule (compared to Saxenda’s daily injections) may contribute to better tolerability and adherence, as fewer people discontinue treatment due to side effects.
Key points:
- Semaglutide in Wegovy has a longer half-life, producing more sustained appetite suppression than liraglutide in Saxenda
- Clinical trials show Wegovy users lose around 15% of body weight during maintenance with the 2.4mg dose and over 20% at the 7.2mg dose, compared with 6–8% for Saxenda over similar timeframes
- Wegovy’s weekly dosing is associated with lower discontinuation rates compared with Saxenda’s daily injections
- The gradual effect of Wegovy’s longer-acting formulation may allow the body to tolerate the medication better than Saxenda’s daily dosing approach
This text has been fact-checked for accuracy by Alessandro Grenci, Superintendent Pharmacist at medino.