Victoza

Victoza is an injectable diabetes medicine that is used together with diet and exercise to improve blood sugar control in adults and children 10 years of age and older with type 2 diabetes.

Victoza is also used to help reduce the risk of serious heart problems such as heart attack or stroke in adults with type 2 diabetes with established cardiovascular disease.

Victoza's mechanism of action involves mimicking a natural hormone called GLP-1, that your body makes after eating. GLP-1 helps control blood sugar in type 2 diabetes by increasing insulin when needed, reducing glucose production in the liver, slowing digestion, and decreasing appetite. Unlike your body's natural GLP-1 which works for minutes, Victoza lasts for 24 hours, which means Victoza injections only need to be given 1 time a day.

The generic name for Victoza is liraglutide. Liraglutide comes in 3 FDA-approved forms:

• Victoza: Approved for diabetes treatment only
• Saxenda: Approved for weight loss treatment only
• Liraglutide injection: Approved to lower blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes.

While Victoza may cause weight loss as a side effect, only Saxenda is specifically approved for weight loss (see Can liraglutide be used for weight loss?).

Victoza belongs to the drug class called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, which includes other medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Ryebelsus, Trulicity, Saxenda, and Byetta.

Victoza gained FDA approval on January 25, 2010. A Victoza generic is available under the name liraglutide (FDA-approved on December 23, 2024). This generic is only approved for use in Type 2 diabetes.

Read the Instructions for Use that come with the Victoza pen. Use Victoza exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to.

Inject Victoza 1 time each day, at any time of the day (see When is the best time of day to take Victoza?).

• Victoza may be taken with or without food.

Victoza is injected under the skin (subcutaneously) of your stomach (abdomen), thigh, or upper arm. Do not inject Victoza into a muscle (intramuscularly) or a vein (intravenously).

• Change (rotate) your injection site with each daily injection. Do not use the same site for each injection.
• Your healthcare provider will teach you how to inject Victoza yourself, or you can have a caregiver give it to you.

Do not mix insulin and Victoza in the same injection.

• You may give an injection of insulin in the same body area as Victoza (such as your stomach area), but not right next to each other.

You should not use Victoza if you are allergic to liraglutide, Victoza, or any of the inactive ingredients in the Victoza pen. In addition, do not use if you have:

• multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (tumors in your glands)
• a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (a type of thyroid cancer).

Tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions before starting Victoza, including if you:

• have or have had problems with your pancreas, kidneys or liver
• have severe problems with your stomach, such as slowed emptying of your stomach (gastroparesis), problems with digesting food, or severe stomach problems
• have type 1 diabetes
• are scheduled to have surgery or other procedures that use anesthesia or deep sleepiness (deep sedation)
• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant
• are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

Victoza is not approved for use by anyone younger than 10 years old with type 2 diabetes. For cardiovascular risk reduction, it is only approved for adults 18 years and older with type 2 diabetes..

Pregnancy

It is not known if Victoza will harm an unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while using Victoza.

Breastfeeding

It is not known if Victoza passes into your breast milk. You and your healthcare provider should decide if you should breastfeed while taking Victoza.

The most common side effects of Victoza are:

• nausea
• diarrhea
• vomiting
• decreased appetite
• indigestion and constipation.

Serious side effects and warnings

Victoza carries a Boxed Warning for thyroid C-cell tumors in rats and mice, but it is unknown whether Victoza would cause this type of cancer in humans.

Possible thyroid tumors, including cancer. Victoza and medicines that work like Victoza caused thyroid tumors, including thyroid cancer. It is not known if Victoza will cause thyroid tumors, or a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) in people.

• Do not use Victoza if you or any of your family have ever had a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), or if you have an endocrine system condition called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2).
• Call your doctor at once if you have signs of a thyroid tumor, such as swelling or a lump in your neck, trouble swallowing, a hoarse voice, or shortness of breath. These may be symptoms of thyroid cancer.

Inflammation of your pancreas (pancreatitis). Stop using Victoza and call your healthcare provider right away if you have severe pain in your stomach area (abdomen) that will not go away, with or without nausea or vomiting. You may feel the pain from your abdomen to your back.

Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Your risk of getting low blood sugar may be higher if you use Victoza with another medicine that can cause low blood sugar, such as a sulfonylurea or insulin. Signs and symptoms of low blood sugar may include:

• dizziness or light-headedness
• sweating
• confusion or drowsiness
• headache
• blurred vision
• slurred speech
• shakiness
• fast heartbeat
• anxiety, irritability, or mood changes
• hunger
• weakness
• feeling jittery.

Serious allergic reactions. Stop using Victoza and get medical help right away if you have any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction including:

• swelling of your face, lips, tongue or throat
• problems breathing or swallowing
• severe rash or itching
• fainting or feeling dizzy
• very rapid heartbeat.

Kidney problems (kidney failure). In people who have kidney problems, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting may cause a loss of fluids (dehydration) which may cause kidney problems to get worse. It is important for you to drink fluids to help reduce your chance of dehydration. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea that does not go away.

Gallbladder problems. Gallbladder problems have happened in some people who take Victoza. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get symptoms of gallbladder problems, which may include:

• pain in your upper stomach (abdomen)
• fever
• yellowing of skin or eyes (jaundice)
• clay-colored stools.

Food or liquid getting into the lungs during surgery or other procedures that use anesthesia or deep sleepiness (deep sedation). Victoza may increase the chance of food getting into your lungs during surgery or other procedures. Tell all your healthcare providers that you are taking Victoza before you are scheduled to have surgery or other procedures.

Increased heart rate. This medicine can increase your heart rate while you are at rest. Tell your healthcare provider if you feel your heart racing or pounding in your chest and it lasts for several minutes.

Severe stomach problems. Stomach problems, sometimes severe, have been reported in people who use this medicine. Tell your healthcare provider if you have stomach problems that are severe or will not go away.

Intestinal obstruction and severe constipation. Severe constipation, including fecal impaction and intestinal obstruction, have been reported in people taking Victoza. Tell your healthcare provider if you experience severe constipation.

Pancreatitis associated with Victoza has been reported in post-marketing reports. Stop taking Victoza and talk to your healthcare provider immediately if you experience symptoms such as pain in your upper abdomen that spreads to your back, a swollen or tender abdomen, fever, or nausea and vomiting.

Victoza is not for treating type 1 diabetes.

Do not use Victoza with other products containing liraglutide, such as Saxenda, or other medicines called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists.

These are not all the possible side effects of Victoza. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or does not go away. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Usual Adult Victoza Dose for Diabetes Type 2 for Glycemic Control and Cardiovascular Risk Reduction

Initial dose: Victoza 0.6 mg subcutaneously 1 time daily for 1 week then increase to 1.2 mg daily.

• If additional glycemic control is needed, increase the dose to 1.8 mg daily after 1 week of treatment with the 1.2 mg daily dose.

Maintenance dose: 1.2 to 1.8 mg subcutaneously 1 time a day.

Maximum dose: 1.8 mg subcutaneously 1 time a day.

Note: The 0.6 mg Victoza dose is intended to reduce gastrointestinal symptoms and is not an effective dose for glycemic control.

Usual Child 10 years and Older Victoza Dose for Diabetes Type 2

Initial dose: Victoza 0.6 mg subcutaneously 1 time daily for at least 1 week.

• If additional glycemic control is needed, increase the dose to 1.2 mg daily, and if additional glycemic control is still required, increase to 1.8 mg daily after at least 1 week of treatment with the 1.2 mg daily dose.

Maintenance dose: 0.6 to 1.8 mg subcutaneously 1 time a day.

Maximum dose: 1.8 mg subcutaneously 1 time a day.

Never share an injection pen or prefilled syringe with another person, even if the needle has been changed. Sharing these devices can allow infections or diseases to pass from one person to another.

If you miss a dose of Victoza, take the missed dose at the next scheduled dose. Do not take 2 doses of Victoza at the same time.

If you take too much Victoza, call your healthcare provider or the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222 or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away. Taking too much Victoza may cause severe nausea, severe vomiting, and low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).

You may have low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and feel very hungry, dizzy, irritable, confused, anxious, or shaky. To quickly treat hypoglycemia, eat or drink a fast-acting source of sugar (fruit juice, hard candy, crackers, raisins, or non-diet soda).

Your doctor may prescribe a glucagon injection kit in case you have severe hypoglycemia. Be sure your family or close friends know how to give you this injection in an emergency.

Blood sugar levels can be affected by other medications (such as insulin or sulfonylureas for diabetes), stress, illness, surgery, exercise, alcohol use, or skipping meals. Ask your doctor before changing your dose or medication schedule.

Also, watch for signs of high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) such as increased thirst or urination.

Other drugs may interact with Victoza, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Know the medicines you take. Keep a list to show your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine.

Victoza can slow your digestion, and it may take longer for your body to absorb any medicines you take by mouth.

This is not a full list of drug interactions. See the Victoza Prescribing Information for a full list.

Store unopened Victoza in a refrigerator between 36-46°F (2-8°C), away from the cooling element and do not freeze.

After opening, you can store the pen for 30 days either at room temperature (59-86°F/15-30°C) or in the fridge. Always keep the cap on and protect it from heat and sunlight.

For injections, use a fresh needle each time, removing and discarding it after use. Store the pen without an injection needle attached to prevent contamination, leakage, or infection.

Active ingredient: liraglutide. Inactive ingredients: disodium phosphate dihydrate, propylene glycol, phenol and water for injection, hydrochloric acid or sodium hydroxide may be added to adjust pH.

Victoza is available as a 6 mg/mL solution in a pre-filled, single-patient-use pen that delivers doses of 0.6 mg, 1.2 mg, or 1.8 mg:

Novo Nordisk makes Victoza.