Ozempic’s cousin drug liraglutide is about to get cheaper. But how does it stack up?

Fourteen years ago, the older drug cousin of semaglutide (Ozempic and Wegovy) came onto the market. The drug, liraglutide, is sold under the brand names Victoza and Saxenda . Patents for Victoza and Saxenda have now expried .

So other drug companies are working to develop “generic” versions. These are likely be a fraction of current cost, which is around A$400 a month. So how does liraglutide compare with semaglutide? How do these drugs work? Liraglutide was not originally developed as a weight-loss treatment.

Like semaglutide (Ozempic), it originally treated type 2 diabetes. The class of drugs liraglutide and semaglutide belong to are known as GLP-1 mimetics, meaning they mimic the natural hormone GLP-1. This hormone is released from your small intestines in response to food and acts in several ways to improve the way your body handles glucose (sugar).

How do they stop hunger? Liraglutide acts in several regions of the unconscious part of your brain, specifically the hypothalamus, which controls metabolism, and parts of the brain stem responsible for communicating your body’s nutrient status to the hypothalamus. Its actions here appear to reduce hunger in two different ways. First, it helps you to feel full earlier, making smaller meals more satisfying.

Second, it alters your “ motivational salience ” towards food, meaning it reduces the amount of food you seek out. Liraglutide’s original formulation, designed to treat type 2 diabetes, was marketed as Victoza. It.