Liraglutide: Saxenda, Vobexoryn, Nevolat, Diavic and Byesilor compared

All liraglutide brands in the Netherlands at a glance

Seven brands of liraglutide are registered in the Netherlands. They all contain 6 mg of liraglutide per ml in a 3 ml pen, so 18 mg per pen. The Farmacotherapeutisch Kompas (the Dutch national reference for medicines) of Zorginstituut Nederland (the Dutch National Health Care Institute) lists the manufacturer of each brand and whether it has Appendix 2 status (bijlage 2: reimbursement under conditions). This is how they compare (as of September 2026):

Saxenda and Victoza are the original Novo Nordisk brands. The other five came later, after the patent on liraglutide expired. They were approved on the basis of the same active substance and the same strength.

Note the difference in registration. Saxenda, Vobexoryn, Nevolat and Byesilor are registered for weight management, with doses up to 3.0 mg per day. Victoza, Diavic and Diavorin are registered for type 2 diabetes, with a maximum dose of 1.8 mg per day. The substance is the same; the indication and the dosing schedule are not.

Is Vobexoryn, Nevolat, Diavic or Byesilor the same as Saxenda?

Vobexoryn, Nevolat and Byesilor contain the same active substance as Saxenda, in the same strength, and are registered for the same indication. In terms of how they work, they are therefore equivalent. Diavic and Diavorin also contain liraglutide, but are registered for type 2 diabetes and not for weight loss.

What does differ is the pen. Each manufacturer uses its own injection pen, with its own turning mechanism and push button. For how the medicine is absorbed into your body, that makes no difference. For ease of use it sometimes does, as became clear in 2026 with the switch from Saxenda to Vobexoryn. You can read about that further down.

So the answer to "is Vobexoryn as good as Saxenda?" is: in terms of active substance and dose, yes. The same applies to Nevolat and Byesilor. If you do notice a difference after switching, discuss it with your doctor. The cause is often the pen or a missed dose, not the medicine itself.

Why does the pharmacy give you a different brand?

You get a different brand from the one on your prescription because of your health insurer's preferred brand policy (preferentiebeleid) or because of supply problems. For medicines made by several manufacturers, health insurers designate one preferred brand. They only reimburse that brand, unless your doctor writes "medical necessity" on the prescription.

Since 1 October 2025, several insurers have had a preferred brand policy for liraglutide. VGZ, for example, designated Vobexoryn as the preferred brand for people with overweight and Diavorin for type 2 diabetes, with a transition period until 1 January 2026. Other insurers chose other brands. Which brand you get therefore depends on your insurer and on the year.

The preferred brand policy only applies if the insurer reimburses your medication. If you pay for liraglutide yourself, the pharmacy can in principle supply any brand that is on the prescription and in stock. If Saxenda is in short supply, the pharmacy can supply another liraglutide brand in consultation with your doctor. In that case, ask for an explanation of the pen.

Differences in the pen and its use per brand

The dosing schedule is the same for all brands for overweight: you start with 0.6 mg per day and increase by 0.6 mg every week up to the maintenance dose of 3.0 mg. The pen works differently for each brand. In August 2026, the College ter Beoordeling van Geneesmiddelen (CBG), the Dutch Medicines Evaluation Board, concluded that technical differences between the Saxenda pen and the Vobexoryn pen explain the problems users reported.

Bijwerkingencentrum Lareb (the Netherlands Pharmacovigilance Centre) received 327 reports about the Vobexoryn pen between 28 January and 1 April 2026. Users reported that the pen was hard to press, turned stiffly, leaked or jammed. According to the CBG, the Vobexoryn pen extends further at higher doses and the push button needs more force than with Saxenda. The advice: when you switch, ask the pharmacy to explain how the new pen works.

This is how you build up the dose, whatever the brand:

1. Week 1: 0.6 mg per day
2. Week 2: 1.2 mg per day
3. Week 3: 1.8 mg per day
4. Week 4: 2.4 mg per day
5. From week 5: 3.0 mg per day (maintenance dose)

If you have a lot of nausea, the doctor can keep you on a step for longer. You can read more about building up the dose and using the pen in our article on Saxenda dosage. Those steps also apply to Vobexoryn, Nevolat and Byesilor.

Tried everything and want to know whether medication under a doctor's supervision could suit you? Read how medical weight loss with injections works with us →

Liraglutide versus semaglutide and tirzepatide

Liraglutide is not the same as Ozempic. Ozempic contains semaglutide, a different GLP-1 receptor agonist that you inject once a week. Mounjaro contains tirzepatide, which acts on two hormone systems (GLP-1 and GIP). You inject liraglutide daily, and it is the oldest of the three.

In comparative research, semaglutide and tirzepatide lead to more weight loss on average than liraglutide. That does not say everything about your situation: how you respond to a medicine, which side effects you get and whether you prefer to inject daily or weekly all play a role. Which medicine suits you medically is for the doctor to assess.

You can read more about the active substances in our articles on semaglutide and tirzepatide. The practical choice between the two best-known brands is covered in Saxenda vs Ozempic.

Is liraglutide reimbursed and what does it cost?

Basic health insurance (basisverzekering) only reimburses liraglutide for weight loss under strict conditions. According to the advice of Zorginstituut Nederland, since 1 April 2022 reimbursement has applied to adults with a BMI of 40 or higher, or a BMI of 35 or higher with cardiovascular disease, sleep apnoea or osteoarthritis. In addition, you must first have followed a recognised combined lifestyle intervention (gecombineerde leefstijlinterventie, GLI) for a year without sufficient results.

The reimbursement also has a stopping rule: if after 3 months on the maintenance dose you have not lost at least 5% of your starting weight, the reimbursement stops. For type 2 diabetes, other conditions apply, those for Victoza, Diavic and Diavorin.

If you fall outside that group, you pay for liraglutide yourself. The pharmacy price of Saxenda is €37.12 per pen (medicijnkosten.nl, July 2026); Nevolat is listed in the Farmacotherapeutisch Kompas at €37.13 per pen (September 2026). So the price differences between the brands are small. On the maintenance dose, you use about five pens per month. A complete overview per dose is in our article on Saxenda cost.

With us, a medical weight loss with injections programme with liraglutide (Saxenda) costs €850 per month, plus a one-off €400 support fee. This includes the medication, home delivery and support from your own BIG-registered doctor (the BIG register is the Dutch register of healthcare professionals). The conditions per insurer are in our article on whether Saxenda is covered by insurance.

Side effects of liraglutide

The side effects are the same for all brands, because the active substance is the same. According to apotheek.nl, the patient information website of the Dutch pharmacists' organisation KNMP, more than 30 in 100 users get gastrointestinal complaints such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. These complaints are strongest in the build-up phase and usually ease once your body is used to the medicine.

In 1 to 10 in 100 users, reduced appetite, headache, tiredness, irritation at the injection site, a dry mouth and gallstones occur. Rare, in fewer than 1 in 100, are inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) and allergic reactions. If you have severe, persistent abdominal pain, contact your doctor immediately.

If you report a side effect after switching brands, the doctor first checks whether it is due to the pen or the dose. A full overview per complaint, with what you can do about it yourself, is in our article on Saxenda side effects.

Want to know whether medical weight loss could be right for you? Take the eligibility check, and the doctor will assess your situation →

Frequently asked questions about liraglutide and its brands

Is liraglutide the same as Ozempic?

No. Liraglutide (Saxenda, Victoza) and semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) are both GLP-1 receptor agonists, but they are different substances. You inject liraglutide daily and semaglutide weekly. In research, semaglutide leads to more weight loss on average. You can also compare Wegovy vs Saxenda.

Is Vobexoryn as good as Saxenda?

Vobexoryn contains the same active substance (liraglutide) in the same strength as Saxenda and is registered for the same indication. In terms of how they work, they are equivalent. The pen works differently: it extends further at higher doses and needs more force to press.

Is Nevolat the same as Saxenda?

Nevolat contains liraglutide 6 mg/ml, just like Saxenda, and is registered for weight management in people with overweight. The dosing schedule is the same. Nevolat is made by Zentiva, Saxenda by Novo Nordisk; the pen differs.

What does liraglutide cost?

Saxenda costs €37.12 per pen (medicijnkosten.nl, July 2026) and Nevolat €37.13 (Farmacotherapeutisch Kompas, September 2026). On the maintenance dose of 3.0 mg, you use about five pens per month. With us, a programme with liraglutide (Saxenda) costs €850 per month, plus a one-off €400 support fee.

Is there a cheaper alternative to Saxenda?

The liraglutide brands Vobexoryn, Nevolat and Byesilor cost about the same as Saxenda at the pharmacy. If your insurer reimburses liraglutide, the preferred brand policy determines which brand you get. Whether another medicine works out cheaper depends on the dose, and the doctor assesses this for each situation.

Why is Saxenda out of stock?

When Saxenda is in short supply, the pharmacy can supply another liraglutide brand in consultation with your doctor, such as Vobexoryn, Nevolat or Byesilor. The active substance and the schedule are the same. Ask for an explanation of the new pen, because it works differently.

Does Saxenda have another name?

Saxenda is the brand name of liraglutide 3 mg for weight management. With other manufacturers, the same substance is called Vobexoryn, Nevolat or Byesilor. For type 2 diabetes, liraglutide is called Victoza, Diavic or Diavorin.

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