Saxenda
An older, daily GLP-1 injection — now the priciest way to take one.
$450–600/mo retail
Overview
Saxenda is Novo Nordisk's liraglutide, a GLP-1 injection approved in Canada for chronic weight management. It predates the semaglutide and tirzepatide products and differs in one obvious way: it is injected once daily rather than once weekly. As newer weekly drugs have taken over the category, Saxenda has become a comparatively niche option.
It is also, on a monthly basis, among the most expensive GLP-1 options in Canada — roughly $450 to $600 a month. Combined with the daily injection schedule, that cost is why many patients and prescribers now look first at weekly alternatives. Saxenda still has a role, and for some patients it is the right fit, but it rarely wins on price or convenience.
As a weight-management drug, it is not covered by any provincial public plan; the Novo Nordisk Care program may assist uninsured patients, subject to eligibility.
How it works
Liraglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist, the same class as semaglutide but an earlier-generation molecule with a shorter duration of action — which is why it is dosed daily rather than weekly. It reduces appetite and slows stomach emptying. Dose selection is a prescriber's decision and beyond the scope of this page.
How it's taken
Saxenda is a once-daily subcutaneous injection from a prefilled pen. Unlike the weekly GLP-1 injections, it is taken every day at around the same time. A prescriber sets the dose.
Availability in Canada
Saxenda is available at Canadian pharmacies for chronic weight management. Like other weight-labelled GLP-1s, it is not covered by any provincial public plan; private employer coverage is the main insured route, and only around 31% of private plans cover weight-loss GLP-1s.
There is no generic liraglutide widely marketed in Canada for weight management, so the manufacturer's patient-support program is the main avenue for reducing cost for uninsured patients.
Common side effects
GLP-1 side effects are usually digestive and often ease over time. This is not a complete list — read the product monograph and speak with a pharmacist or physician.
- •Nausea, especially early on
- •Diarrhea or vomiting
- •Constipation
- •Reduced appetite
- •Headache
- •Injection-site reactions
What Saxenda costs, by source
Monthly prices in Canadian dollars, last verified July 2026. Ranges reflect dose and dispensing-fee variation.
Saxenda — lowest to highest monthly price
Each marker is a source. The list below carries the full detail.
- Retail pharmacies$450–600/mo
| Source | Monthly (CAD) | What's included | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail pharmaciesPharmacy | $450–600 | Saxenda (liraglutide), a daily injection. Among the priciest GLP-1 options on a monthly basis. | 2026-07 |
See the full price database for every drug and source side by side.
Ways to pay less
Manufacturer savings cards and patient-support programs can cut the out-of-pocket cost sharply — but eligibility varies, and terms change. Confirm details on the official manufacturer page before you count on any of these. For the full picture — generic-vs-brand math, tax credits, and insurance appeals — see our ways to pay less navigator.
Novo Nordisk Care program
Provides patient assistance that may help uninsured patients afford Saxenda.
Eligibility: Assistance is need- and eligibility-based and can change. Confirm current details on the official manufacturer page.
Official program page →Availability in Canada
- •Available at pharmacies nationwide for chronic weight management.
- •Daily injection rather than weekly, which many patients find less convenient.
- •Not covered by any provincial public plan.
- •Novo Nordisk Care may assist uninsured patients, subject to eligibility.
Frequently asked
- Why is Saxenda a daily injection when others are weekly?
- Saxenda's molecule, liraglutide, has a shorter duration of action than newer GLP-1s like semaglutide and tirzepatide, so it is dosed once daily rather than once weekly.
- Is Saxenda more expensive than newer GLP-1s?
- On a monthly basis it is among the priciest options, at roughly $450 to $600. Many patients now consider weekly alternatives that can cost less and require fewer injections.
- Does insurance cover Saxenda?
- No provincial public plan covers it, since it treats weight rather than diabetes. Some private employer plans cover weight-loss GLP-1s; the Novo Nordisk Care program may help uninsured patients.
Watching the pipeline?
Next-generation drugs like retatrutide and orforglipron are still investigational and not approved in Canada. We'll email you the moment that changes — nothing before. Read the full watch page.