Just in Time for New Year's Resolutions: New Weight-management Drug Approved by FDA

Dec. 23, 2014

The U.S. FDA approved Saxenda (liraglutide [rDNA origin] injection) as a treatment option for chronic weight management in addition to a reduced-calorie diet and physical activity.

The drug is approved for use in adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater (obesity) or adults with a BMI of 27 or greater (overweight) who have at least one weight-related condition such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol (dyslipidemia).

According to an FDA press release, Saxenda is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist and should not be used in combination with any other drug belonging to this class, including Victoza, a treatment for type 2 diabetes. Saxenda and Victoza contain the same active ingredient (liraglutide) at different doses (3 mg and 1.8 mg, respectively). However, Saxenda is not indicated for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, as the safety and efficacy of Saxenda for the treatment of diabetes has not been established.

The safety and effectiveness of Saxenda were evaluated in three clinical trials that included approximately 4,800 obese and overweight patients with and without significant weight-related conditions. All patients received counseling regarding lifestyle modifications that consisted of a reduced-calorie diet and regular physical activity.

Patients using Saxenda should be evaluated after 16 weeks to determine if the treatment is working. If a patient has not lost at least 4 percent of baseline body weight, Saxenda should be discontinued, as it is unlikely that the patient will achieve and sustain clinically meaningful weight loss with continued treatment.

Saxenda has a boxed warning stating that tumors of the thyroid gland (thyroid C-cell tumors) have been observed in rodent studies with Saxenda but that it is unknown whether Saxenda causes thyroid C-cell tumors, including a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), in humans. Saxenda should not be used in patients with a personal or family history of MTC or in patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (a disease in which patients have tumors in more than one gland in their body, which predisposes them to MTC).

Serious side effects reported in patients treated with Saxenda include pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, renal impairment, and suicidal thoughts. Saxenda can also raise heart rate and should be discontinued in patients who experience a sustained increase in resting heart rate.

In clinical trials, the most common side effects observed in patients treated with Saxenda were nausea, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), and decreased appetite.

Saxenda is manufactured by Novo Nordisk A/S, Bagsvaerd, Denmark and is distributed by Novo Nordisk, Inc. Plainsboro, New Jersey. Read the full release