Saxenda in Australia

Saxenda and generic ARX-Liraglutide share one registered indication, word for word: weight management, with a reduced-calorie diet and more physical activity, in adults with a starting BMI of 30 or more, or 27 to under 30 with at least one weight-related condition "such as dysglycaemia (pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus), hypertension, dyslipidaemia, or obstructive sleep apnoea".

It is not indicated for under 18s, for treating type 2 diabetes, or for obesity caused by a hormonal or eating disorder or by a medicine that causes weight gain. It should not be used with insulin, with any other GLP-1 medicine (including a second liraglutide brand), or in pregnancy or breastfeeding. The only contraindication is allergy to liraglutide or an ingredient; it is not recommended after pancreatitis.

The Saxenda and ARX-Liraglutide Product Information give the same instructions. Liraglutide is injected once a day into the abdomen, thigh or upper arm, at any time, with or without food, ideally at a similar time each day. Rotating sites within one region reduces the risk of lumps under the skin. Dose steps are at least a week apart. If a step is not tolerated for two weeks running, the Product Information says to consider stopping. Treatment stops after 12 weeks on 3.0 mg if less than 5% of starting weight has been lost, and the need to continue is reviewed at each new script and at least yearly.

A missed dose is taken if within 12 hours of the usual time, otherwise skipped, with no double dose. A new needle is used for each injection. Unopened pens are kept in the fridge and never frozen; an opened pen keeps for a month below 30°C or in the fridge. People taking a sulfonylurea may need a lower dose of it.

In the pooled trials (3,384 on liraglutide, 1,941 on placebo), 9.8% stopped because of side effects against 4.3%. Nausea affected 39.3% against 13.8%, diarrhoea 20.9% against 9.9%, vomiting 15.7% against 3.9% and gallstones 1.5% against 0.5%.

Precautions in the Product Information:

In SCALE, 67.5% had lost 5% or more after 12 weeks on 3.0 mg; those who went on to complete a year averaged 11.2% loss, against 3.8% for completers who were below 5% at 12 weeks.

Weight returns after liraglutide stops. In SCALE, people without prediabetes who were switched to placebo after 56 weeks regained 2.9% of body weight within 12 weeks, while those kept on liraglutide lost a further 0.7%. A BMJ meta-analysis (January 2026, 37 studies) found average regain of 0.4 kg a month after weight-management medicines stopped.

Neither Product Information describes tapering, and no Australian protocol for moving from liraglutide to another medicine was found. Wegovy's Product Information starts the injection at 0.25 mg and the tablet at 1.5 mg, and sets no dose for people coming off liraglutide.

Liraglutide 3 mg is Schedule 4, prescription only. The Product Information does not restrict it to specialists, so a GP can prescribe it.

For Saxenda users, the only Novo Nordisk guidance found for Australia was its May 2025 letter to health professionals, which encouraged prescribers to "discuss alternative treatment options with patients currently using Saxenda, including Wegovy 2.4 mg". The SaxendaCare website was due to close from 17 December 2025 and did not load on 9 November 2026. No patient-facing notice was found.

The Medical Board of Australia says prescribing without a real-time consultation, in person, by video or by phone, "is not good practice".