Quick answer: Saxenda cost in 2026 is $1,349.02 per prescription at list price, usually a 30-day supply at the full 3 mg dose.[1] With commercial insurance that covers it, the savings card can cut that to as little as $25.[1] Saxenda is being discontinued, with final wholesale shipments in late January 2027.[2][3]
Prices and program terms checked October 2026. They change often; confirm with the manufacturer or your plan.
Saxenda is the brand of liraglutide approved for chronic weight management. It is a once-daily injection. For other drugs in this class, see our GLP-1 and weight-loss drugs hub.
Saxenda price at a glance
| How you pay | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| List price | $1,349.02 | Per prescription[1] |
| Commercial insurance + savings card | As little as $25 | Or up to $200 off per prescription, for up to 12 months[1] |
| Medicare Part D | Not covered | Weight-loss drugs are excluded[9] |
| Generic liraglutide | Varies by pharmacy | Several makers[7] |
How much Saxenda you need each month
Saxenda comes as prefilled pens holding 18 mg each. The label starts at 0.6 mg daily and raises the dose by 0.6 mg each week until 3 mg daily.[4] At 3 mg, one five-pen box lasts 30 days. Your clinician sets the dose.
The label also says to stop Saxenda if you have not lost at least 4% of your body weight after 16 weeks, because you are unlikely to benefit.[4] That rule matters for cost: it limits how long you pay for a drug that isn’t working.
In the main SCALE trial, adults on Saxenda lost an average of 8.4 kg (about 18.5 pounds) over 56 weeks, versus 2.8 kg on placebo. Their average starting weight was 106 kg.[5]
What a year of Saxenda costs
At list price, a full year at 3 mg daily takes about 12 boxes, which comes to roughly $16,190.[1] The first box lasts longer than 30 days because the starting doses are lower, so the true first-year total is a little less.[4]
With insurance and the savings card, the picture changes a lot. If your plan covers Saxenda and your copay is modest, the card can bring each fill to as little as $25, which is about $300 for 12 fills.[1] The card runs for up to 12 months.[1]
Remember the 16-week check. If you have not lost at least 4% of your starting weight by then, the label says to stop.[4] For a 220-pound person, 4% is about 9 pounds. Planning around this check can keep you from paying for many months of a drug that isn’t helping.
Saxenda is being discontinued in January 2027
Novo Nordisk’s Saxenda website says the company will stop selling it, with last shipments to wholesalers in late January 2027. It says the decision is not due to safety or quality concerns.[2] FDA’s drug shortage database lists Saxenda as “To Be Discontinued,” with product available until discontinuation in January 2027.[3]
What this means for you:
- Pharmacies may still have stock after January, but supply will shrink. Ask how much your pharmacy can get.
- Insurers may drop Saxenda from formularies as it leaves the market. Check your plan’s formulary for 2027.
- Plan a switch with your prescriber before your supply runs out. Options include generic liraglutide or a different drug.
Generic liraglutide (Saxenda generic)
Teva launched the first generic version of Saxenda for weight management in August 2025.[6] Generic liraglutide has the same active ingredient and is given the same way.
Supply is changing:
- Teva: in May 2026, Teva reported to FDA that it is discontinuing its five-pen liraglutide product.[3]
- Other makers: FDA’s drug directory lists five-pen liraglutide cartons, the Saxenda pack size, from Cipla and Biocon, first listed in early 2026.[7]
- Diabetes versions: Hikma, Meitheal and others sell two- and three-pen liraglutide packs, which are generic Victoza for type 2 diabetes.[3][7]
We found no official, published list price for generic Saxenda in October 2026. Cash prices vary widely, so ask several pharmacies for a quote.
When you call, give the exact product: liraglutide 18 mg/3 mL pens, five pens per box, for weight management. Ask whether the pharmacy can order it regularly, since supply has shifted between makers. If your insurance excludes the brand, ask whether it covers the generic; some plans treat them differently. The brand Saxenda savings card cannot be used on a generic. See our Saxenda coupon guide for savings options.
Saxenda cost with insurance
Coverage for weight-loss drugs depends on your plan. Many employer plans exclude them, and those that cover them usually require prior authorization (pre-approval with proof of BMI and other criteria).
To check your plan:
- Log in to your insurer’s member portal and search the formulary for “liraglutide” and “Saxenda.”
- Look for prior authorization or step therapy notes.
- Call the member services number on your insurance card and ask whether weight-management drugs are covered.
If your plan covers Saxenda, the savings card can lower your copay to as little as $25, or take up to $200 off, for up to 12 months.[1] People on Medicare, Medicaid or other government plans cannot use it.
Medicare and Saxenda
Medicare Part D plans cannot cover drugs used only for weight loss.[9] The Medicare GLP-1 Bridge, which charges $50 a month from July 1, 2026, covers only Wegovy, Zepbound KwikPen and Foundayo, not Saxenda or generic liraglutide.[8]
Saxenda vs other weight-loss drugs on cost
| Drug | List price per month | Self-pay program |
|---|---|---|
| Saxenda (daily shot) | $1,349.02[1] | None |
| Wegovy (weekly shot) | $1,349.02[10] | $349 for most doses[10] |
Wegovy (semaglutide) costs less than Saxenda when you pay cash and is taken once a week instead of daily. Compare the two in liraglutide vs semaglutide. For pill options, see Foundayo cost, and for a non-GLP-1 option, Contrave cost.
