Victoza vs. Ozempic for Type 2 Diabetes: SUSTAIN 10 Results and Cost
Price verification — October 26, 2026
This article includes an older pricing snapshot. Older amounts, coupons and annual totals below are historical illustrations, not current checkout quotes.
- Wegovy (semaglutide): Wegovy tablet: $149/30 tablets at 1.5 mg, $199 at 4 mg (a temporary $149 4 mg offer may apply), and $299 at 9 mg or 25 mg. Wegovy injection: eligible new patients may pay $199 per 28-day fill for the first two fills at 0.25 or 0.5 mg through Dec. 31, 2026, then generally $349 for standard pen doses. Eligibility and dosage restrictions apply. Official source
- Clinical program fees: Ivím lists a $74.99/month membership with medication billed separately. Sesame lists care from $59/month on a 12-month commitment; month-to-month costs more, and medication is separate. These are care fees, not all-inclusive drug prices. Official source
- Sesame annual-commitment terms: Official source.
These are manufacturer self-pay or listed care-fee examples, not one all-inclusive price or guaranteed prescription. Insurers, clinical visits, pharmacy choice, dosage, supplies, refill conditions and geography can change the amount due.
For type 2 diabetes, Ozempic lowered A1C and weight more than Victoza in their head-to-head trial, SUSTAIN 10: a 1.7-point A1C drop versus 1.0, and 5.8 kg of weight loss versus 1.9 kg. Victoza's advantages are price and age range: generic liraglutide is now sold by several makers and can cost well under Ozempic's $349 cash price, and Victoza is approved for children 10 and older while Ozempic is adults-only.
Key takeaways
- SUSTAIN 10 compared Ozempic 1 mg weekly with Victoza 1.2 mg daily for 30 weeks in 577 adults; Ozempic won on A1C and weight.
- Both labels include cardiovascular risk reduction for adults with type 2 diabetes and established heart disease. Only Ozempic adds a kidney indication for type 2 diabetes with chronic kidney disease.
- Victoza is approved for ages 10 and up; Ozempic is approved for adults.
- As of October 2026, Ozempic costs $349 a month cash for 0.25 to 1 mg and $499 for 2 mg; SingleCare quoted generic Victoza-equivalent liraglutide at $221 for a three-pen pack in January 2026.
- More people stopped Ozempic because of side effects in SUSTAIN 10 (11.6% vs. 6.6%).
Two generations of the same idea
Victoza (liraglutide) and Ozempic (semaglutide) are both Novo Nordisk GLP-1 drugs for type 2 diabetes. Victoza is injected once a day: 0.6 mg for one week, then 1.2 mg, with an optional increase to a maximum of 1.8 mg (Victoza prescribing information). Ozempic is injected once a week: 0.25 mg for four weeks, then 0.5 mg, with steps up to 1 mg and a maximum of 2 mg (Ozempic prescribing information).
Ozempic also now has an oral version. In May 2026, Novo Nordisk retired the Rybelsus brand in the U.S. and began selling the reformulated semaglutide tablet as the "Ozempic pill" in 1.5 mg, 4 mg and 9 mg doses (Fierce Pharma). This article focuses on the injections, since that is what SUSTAIN 10 tested.
Victoza has gone generic. Teva launched the first generic in June 2024, and Hikma received FDA approval for another in December 2024 (Healio). There is no generic Ozempic.
SUSTAIN 10: the head-to-head trial
SUSTAIN 10 was a 30-week, open-label phase 3b trial in 11 European countries. It randomized 577 adults with type 2 diabetes, average starting A1C 8.2% and average weight 96.9 kg, to Ozempic 1 mg weekly or Victoza 1.2 mg daily (Capehorn et al., EMJ Diabetes).
| SUSTAIN 10 outcome (30 weeks) | Victoza 1.2 mg daily | Ozempic 1 mg weekly |
|---|---|---|
| A1C change (from 8.2%) | −1.0 point | −1.7 points |
| Body weight change (from 96.9 kg) | −1.9 kg | −5.8 kg |
| Nausea | 15.7% | 21.8% |
| Diarrhea | 12.2% | 15.6% |
| Vomiting | 8.0% | 10.4% |
| Stopped because of side effects | 6.6% | 11.6% |
Source: Capehorn MS et al., SUSTAIN 10, EMJ Diabetes 2019;7(1):53-55.
On blood sugar, Ozempic's A1C reduction was 0.7 points larger. On weight, it produced about three times the loss. The price was more stomach side effects and a higher rate of stopping, most of it from gastrointestinal events.
The dose caveat
SUSTAIN 10 used Victoza at 1.2 mg, not its 1.8 mg maximum. Ozempic was tested at 1 mg, and its label now goes to 2 mg. So the trial compares the most common doses rather than each drug at full strength. It is the best direct evidence available, but it does not answer how Victoza 1.8 mg stacks up against Ozempic 2 mg.
Comparing diabetes GLP-1 costs?
See current pricing for semaglutide and other GLP-1 options.
Paid links. We may earn a commission; it never changes what we write. See all options. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved.
Daily vs. weekly in practice
The schedules differ in more than frequency. Victoza's first week at 0.6 mg exists to ease stomach side effects; its label notes that 0.6 mg does not control blood sugar, so the working dose starts at 1.2 mg in week two (Victoza prescribing information). Ozempic's ramp is slower: four weeks at 0.25 mg, then 0.5 mg, with further steps at least four weeks apart. For the kidney indication, the label calls for titrating to 1 mg (Ozempic prescribing information).
If injections themselves are the barrier, the Ozempic pill is now part of the same brand. Former Rybelsus doses of 3 mg, 7 mg and 14 mg correspond to Ozempic pill doses of 1.5 mg, 4 mg and 9 mg (Fierce Pharma). SUSTAIN 10 did not test the pill, so its results apply to the injection only.
Heart, kidney and age: what each label covers
| Label feature | Victoza (liraglutide) | Ozempic (semaglutide injection) |
|---|---|---|
| Blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes | Adults and children 10+ | Adults |
| Lower risk of heart attack, stroke, CV death | Yes, adults with type 2 diabetes and established CV disease | Yes, adults with type 2 diabetes and established CV disease |
| Outcome trial behind it | LEADER: hazard ratio 0.87 (95% CI 0.78 to 0.97) vs. placebo | SUSTAIN 6: hazard ratio 0.74 (95% CI 0.58 to 0.95) vs. placebo |
| Kidney protection in type 2 diabetes with CKD | No | Yes (FLOW: hazard ratio 0.76, 95% CI 0.66 to 0.88) |
| Dosing | Daily, 1.2 to 1.8 mg | Weekly, 0.5 to 2 mg |
| Generic available | Yes | No |
Sources: Victoza prescribing information (revised 10/2025); Ozempic prescribing information (revised 05/2026).
Be careful with the two cardiovascular hazard ratios. LEADER enrolled 9,340 adults with diabetes and atherosclerotic heart disease (Victoza prescribing information); SUSTAIN 6 was a separate trial with different patients and length. A lower number in one trial does not prove one drug protects the heart more. What matters for most people is that both labels carry the heart indication.
The kidney indication is a clearer difference. Ozempic is approved to reduce the risk of sustained kidney function decline, end-stage kidney disease and cardiovascular death in adults with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease, based on the FLOW trial (Ozempic prescribing information). For someone with diabetic kidney disease, that is worth raising with a prescriber.
Age is the other clear split. Victoza's label covers children and teens 10 and older with type 2 diabetes; Ozempic's glycemic indication is for adults (Victoza prescribing information).
Cost in October 2026
Novo Nordisk's NovoCare program lists Ozempic injections at $349 a month cash for 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg and 1 mg, and $499 for 2 mg. New patients pay $199 a month for their first two months on the two lowest doses, through December 31, 2026. With commercial insurance that covers Ozempic, the savings offer can bring the copay to as little as $25, with savings capped at $100 a month (NovoCare). The Ozempic pill's cash price starts at $149 a month.
Generic liraglutide is cheaper at the pharmacy counter, though prices swing by store. In January 2026 SingleCare quoted $221 for three 18 mg pens at CVS, against an average cash price of $1,122 without a discount (SingleCare). Three pens last about a month at 1.8 mg a day and about six weeks at 1.2 mg. GoodRx's liraglutide listing showed coupon prices starting around $144 in October 2026, though it did not state the pack size, so confirm the quantity with your pharmacy (GoodRx).
Insurance can change this math. Some plans prefer one product over the other, and a covered brand with a low copay can beat any cash price. Check your formulary before deciding on cost alone.
Which fits which patient
- You need more A1C or weight reduction. SUSTAIN 10 favors Ozempic on both.
- You have chronic kidney disease with type 2 diabetes. Only Ozempic carries a kidney-outcomes indication.
- You are paying cash on a tight budget. Generic liraglutide is usually the lower-cost GLP-1, and Victoza's label includes the cardiovascular indication.
- The patient is 10 to 17 years old. Victoza is labeled for this age group; Ozempic is not.
- Daily injections are a problem. Ozempic's once-weekly shot may fit better.
The verdict
On results, Ozempic is the stronger diabetes drug: in SUSTAIN 10 it cut A1C by 1.7 points versus 1.0 and weight by 5.8 kg versus 1.9 kg, and it adds a kidney indication Victoza lacks. Victoza, now available as generic liraglutide, wins on price and is the only one of the two approved for children 10 and older. Both carry heart-risk reduction labels. If cost is not the deciding factor, Ozempic is usually the better fit; if it is, generic liraglutide remains a proven option. Review your coverage and kidney and heart history with your prescriber.
See current GLP-1 pricing
Compare what diabetes GLP-1 options cost today before your next visit.
Paid links. We may earn a commission; it never changes what we write. See all options. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ozempic more effective than Victoza?
In the SUSTAIN 10 trial, Ozempic 1 mg weekly lowered A1C by 1.7 points versus 1.0 for Victoza 1.2 mg daily over 30 weeks, and weight by 5.8 kg versus 1.9 kg.
Do Victoza and Ozempic both protect the heart?
Both labels include reducing the risk of major cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease, based on separate trials (LEADER for Victoza, SUSTAIN 6 for Ozempic). Only Ozempic also has a kidney-outcomes indication.
Can children take Victoza or Ozempic?
Victoza is approved for type 2 diabetes in children 10 and older. Ozempic's label covers adults.
Is there a generic Victoza?
Yes. Teva launched the first generic Victoza in June 2024, and Hikma received FDA approval for another generic in December 2024. There is no generic Ozempic.
How much does Ozempic cost without insurance?
As of October 2026, NovoCare lists Ozempic injections at $349 a month for 0.25 to 1 mg and $499 for 2 mg, with $199 for the first two months for new patients on the lowest doses through December 31, 2026.
Sources
- Capehorn MS et al. SUSTAIN 10: semaglutide 1.0 mg once weekly vs liraglutide 1.2 mg once daily. EMJ Diabetes 2019;7(1):53-55
- Victoza Prescribing Information, Novo Nordisk, revised 10/2025
- Ozempic Prescribing Information, Novo Nordisk, revised 05/2026
- Novo Nordisk's Rybelsus officially retired in US as Ozempic pill takes center stage, Fierce Pharma, May 2026
- FDA approves first generic GLP-1 indicated for weight loss, Healio
- Ozempic savings offer, NovoCare
- Liraglutide prices, GoodRx
- Saxenda generic and liraglutide prices, SingleCare, January 2026
Medical disclaimer: This article is general information, not medical advice, and does not replace a licensed clinician who knows your history. Approvals, labels, coverage and prices change; check the linked sources and talk with your prescriber or pharmacist before making decisions about any medication.