Yes, Victoza (liraglutide) is still on the market. The FDA label was updated as recently as May 2025, confirming it remains an active, approved medication. However, finding it at your pharmacy may be another story. Novo Nordisk has Victoza on shortage due to manufacturing delays, with no estimated resupply date for its branded pens.
What’s Causing the Shortage
Novo Nordisk, the company that makes Victoza, has both the 2-count and 3-count pen packages on back order. As of March 2026, the company could not estimate when supply would return to normal. The shortage stems from manufacturing delays, not a safety recall or voluntary withdrawal. Victoza has not been pulled from the market for any reason.
This shortage is part of a broader supply crunch affecting GLP-1 medications. Demand for this drug class has surged in recent years, and manufacturers have struggled to keep pace.
A Generic Version Is Now Available
In June 2024, Teva Pharmaceuticals launched the first generic version of Victoza in the United States. It’s an authorized generic of the 1.8 mg dose, meaning it’s chemically identical to the brand-name product and manufactured to the same standards. This was a notable milestone: it was the first generic GLP-1 medication ever made available in the U.S.
If your pharmacy can’t fill a brand-name Victoza prescription, the generic liraglutide injection may be an alternative worth asking about. Availability of the generic can also fluctuate, but it does expand the overall supply pool.
What Victoza Is Approved For
Victoza is FDA-approved for two uses. The first is improving blood sugar control in adults and children aged 10 and older with type 2 diabetes, alongside diet and exercise. The second is reducing the risk of major cardiovascular events, including heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death, in adults with type 2 diabetes who already have established heart disease.
It is not approved for type 1 diabetes. It also should not be used alongside other products that contain the same active ingredient, liraglutide, such as Saxenda (which is prescribed for weight management at a higher dose).
How Victoza Compares to Newer GLP-1 Drugs
Victoza is a daily injection, which sets it apart from newer GLP-1 medications like semaglutide (Ozempic) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro) that are taken once a week. For some patients, a daily shot feels more manageable because the dose is smaller and side effects can be more predictable. For others, a weekly injection is simply more convenient. Your treatment history, insurance coverage, and how your body responds all factor into which option works best.
Despite the arrival of weekly alternatives, Victoza still fills a role. It has a long safety track record, dating back to its original FDA approval in 2010, and the availability of a generic version makes it a potentially lower-cost option for people paying out of pocket or facing insurance restrictions on newer drugs.
Storing Your Victoza Pen
If you do get your hands on Victoza, proper storage matters. Before first use, keep the pen refrigerated between 36°F and 46°F. An unused, refrigerated pen stays good until the expiration date printed on the packaging.
Once you use the pen for the first time, you can store it at room temperature (59°F to 86°F) or keep it in the fridge. Either way, the pen must be discarded after 30 days, even if medication remains inside. If the pen has been exposed to temperatures above 86°F at any point, throw it away.
What to Do If You Can’t Find It
If your pharmacy reports Victoza as unavailable, you have a few practical options. Ask whether the generic liraglutide injection is in stock. Contact other local pharmacies or check mail-order pharmacy services, which sometimes have access to different supply channels. If liraglutide is completely unavailable in your area, your prescriber can evaluate whether switching to a different GLP-1 medication makes sense for your situation. Because supply shortages can shift week to week, it’s also worth having your pharmacy place a back order so you’re notified when stock arrives.