What is Victoza?

Victoza is a daily liraglutide injection for type 2 diabetes in adults and children 10 and older.

Source for this answer

Source: Current FDA label, checked 2026-08-13

Explore Victoza

Dosage scheduleSee every labeled step from 0.6 mg to 1.8 mg.Cost and coverageCompare the list price, published cash offers and key limits.About LiraglutideSee the medicine behind Victoza and any other brands that use it.

Approved uses

What is Victoza approved to treat?

Adults with type 2 diabetes, together with diet and exercise, to improve blood sugar.

Labeled maintenance: 1.2 mg once daily, or 1.8 mg where blood sugar needs more help

Children age 10 and older with type 2 diabetes, together with diet and exercise.

Labeled maintenance: Steps of 0.6 mg, a week apart, to no more than 1.8 mg once daily

Adults with type 2 diabetes and established heart or blood vessel disease. This use lowers the risk of heart attack, stroke and heart-related death.

Labeled maintenance: 1.2 mg or 1.8 mg once daily

Not an approved use: The label does not cover weight loss. It advises against use with other liraglutide products, including Saxenda.

The product itself

Available forms and strengths

Prefilled pen, one patient only

18 mg per 3 mL, giving doses of 0.6, 1.2 or 1.8 mg

Several doses per pen — the label prints no count

Key product facts

What matters first

Medicine: Liraglutide
How often: Once daily, at any time of day, with or without meals
Starting dose: 0.6 mg
Highest labeled dose: 1.8 mg

Novo Nordisk makes Victoza under NDA 022341. Victoza comes as a shot under the skin.

Same medicine, different label

How is Victoza different from Saxenda?

Victoza and Saxenda both contain liraglutide. Victoza is approved for type 2 diabetes. Saxenda is approved for weight-related care. Their dose plans are not the same.

Read the Saxenda overview

6primary sources, each with the day we read it — open the documents used on this page

Victoza (liraglutide) injection — FDA-approved Prescribing Information (DailyMed)retrieved 2026-08-13FDA label
Victoza (liraglutide) Prescribing Information, revised 10/2025 — Drugs@FDA NDA 022341/S-046retrieved 2026-08-13FDA label
FDA approval letter, NDA 022341 — Victoza (liraglutide) injection, glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetesretrieved 2026-08-13FDA label
FDA supplement approval letter, NDA 022341/S-031 — expansion of the Victoza type 2 diabetes age range to patients 10 years and older (ELLIPSE)retrieved 2026-08-13FDA label
FDA supplement approval letter, NDA 022341/S-027 — Victoza indication for reducing major adverse cardiovascular events in type 2 diabetes with established cardiovascular disease (LEADER)retrieved 2026-08-13FDA label
Drugs@FDA via openFDA — applications containing liraglutide, including the approved abbreviated new drug applications from Sandoz, Teva, Lupin, Hikma, Biocon, Mylan, Fresenius Kabi and others, and the label each one carriesretrieved 2026-08-13FDA label

Medically reviewed by Jennifer Montecillo, MD · non-practicing medical reviewer