Last reviewed 2026-05-13 · How we verify

Victoza (liraglutide)

At a glance

Approved indications

• Diabetes mellitus type 2
• Weight loss

Boxed warnings

• WARNING: RISK OF THYROID C-CELL TUMORS WARNING: RISK OF THYROID C-CELL TUMORS Liraglutide causes dose-dependent and treatment-duration-dependent thyroid C-cell tumors at clinically relevant exposures in both genders of rats and mice. It is unknown whether liraglutide injection causes thyroid C-cell tumors, including medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), in humans, as the human relevance of liraglutide-induced rodent thyroid C-cell tumors has not been determined [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 ), Nonclinical Toxicology ( 13.1 ) ]. Liraglutide injection is contraindicated in patients with a personal or family history of MTC and in patients with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2). Counsel patients regarding the potential risk for MTC with the use of liraglutide injection and inform them of symptoms of thyroid tumors (e.g., a mass in the neck, dysphagia, dyspnea, persistent hoarseness). Routine monitoring of serum calcitonin or using thyroid ultrasound is of uncertain value for early detection of MTC in patients treated with liraglutide injection [ see Contraindications ( 4 ), Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 ) ]. WARNING: RISK OF THYROID C-CELL TUMORS See full prescribing information for complete boxed warning. • Liraglutide causes thyroid C-cell tumors at clinically relevant exposures in both genders of rats and mice. It is unknown whether liraglutide injection causes thyroid C-cell tumors, including medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), in humans, as the human relevance of liraglutide-induced rodent thyroid C-cell tumors has not been determined ( 5.1 , 13.1 ) . • Liraglutide injection is contraindicated in patients with a personal or family history of MTC or in patients with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2). Counsel patients regarding the potential risk of MTC and the symptoms of thyroid tumors ( 4 , 5.1 ).

Common side effects

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Erythema at injection site
• Pruritus at injection site
• Rash at injection site

Serious adverse events

• Severe hypoglycemia (requiring assistance)

Key clinical trials

• A Phase IV, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Parallel-group Trial to Assess the Effect of 12-week Treatment With the Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist (GLP-1RA) Liraglutide or Dipe (Phase 4)
• Effects of Intervention With the Glucagon-like Peptide 1 (GLP-1) Analog Liraglutide Plus Metformin Versus Metformin Monotherapy in Overweight/Obese Women With Metabolic Defects and Recent History of G (Phase 3)
• Incretin-based Therapy in Preclinical Type 1 Diabetes in Adults (Phase 2)
• Novel Medical Adjunctive Therapy to Catheter Ablation For Atrial Fibrillation (AF) (Phase 4)
• Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization (Plerixafor) and Immunologic Reset in New Onset Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (Phase 1)
• Investigation on Safety, Tolerability and Pharmacokinetics of Liraglutide-depot in Healthy Subjects. A Randomised, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Trial Investigating Subcutaneously Single Dose Escal (Phase 1)
• The Timing for Liraglutide in Patients Remaining Obese at 6 Months After Metabolic Surgery: an Observational Study (Phase 4)
• The Correlation Between Par-4 and Telomere-telomerase System in the New Dignosised Type 2 Diabetes Patients Who Received GLP-1 Analog or Metformin Treatment (Phase 4)

Patents

Primary sources

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Competitive intelligence

For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:

• Victoza CI brief — competitive landscape report
• Victoza updates RSS · CI watch RSS
• Novo Nordisk portfolio CI