Victoza (liraglutide) – First GLP-1 Available as a Generic

Victoza is now available in generic form at a slightly reduced monthly price of $469.60 for a 2-pack and $704.40 for a three-pack. According to the ADA average wholesale price chart, Victoza typically costs around $1,340 for a month’s supply, which is about a 50% reduction in price. 

Victoza (liraglutide injection 1.8 mg) is a once-daily GLP-1 injection approved to treat type 2 diabetes. It lowers A1C by about 1%, along with weight loss and reduced risk of cardiovascular events. See our Medication PocketCards for more info.

Generic Victoza, produced by Teva Pharmaceuticals, is the first GLP-1 RA that has gone generic. Victoza’s patent in the US and Europe expired in late 2023, paving the way for companies like Teva to pursue generic versions. Two other generic Victoza options are being developed with a possible December 2024 release date. Once multiple Victoza generics are on the market, the hope is that competition will further reduce prices for people who would benefit from this medication.  Patents for newer GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy won’t expire until several years later.

Launching this more cost-effective generic Victoza comes as many people with diabetes struggle to access the more popular GLP-1 medications like semaglutide (Ozempic) and dulaglutide (Trulicity). Liraglutide (Victoza) was also approved for weight loss for those without diabetes who met the BMI criteria in 2014 under the brand name Saxenda. 

The first generic GLP-1 is a significant milestone in improving access to diabetes drugs. With the launch of additional Victoza generics in 2025 and beyond, prices should continue to fall even further, helping more people access these crucial medications. 

Another SGLT-2 Approved for Pediatrics

This month, the FDA approved another SGLT-2i, dapagliflozin (Farxiga), for children under the age of 18.  Dapagliflozin and empagliflozin are now both approved for pediatrics starting at the age of 10 diagnosed with type 2 diabetes as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control.

The incidence and prevalence of type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents are increasing globally.  In the US, there are nearly 30,000 individuals under the age of 20 living with type 2 diabetes, with 5,300 new cases diagnosed each year, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and recent research. Children with type 2 diabetes often experience earlier onset of complications than adults and benefit from interdisciplinary care and social support.

Data from the T2NOW Phase III trial, published in The New England Journal of Medicine Evidence, Farxiga, provided clinically meaningful improvements in glycemia for children and adolescents with type 2 diabetes. The safety results in this pediatric population were consistent with those in adults with T2D.  Of course, it is essential to provide education on preventing genital infections and any signs of diabetes ketoacidosis. See our Medication PocketCards