Teva launches the first generic GLP-1 in the US, an authorized generic of Victoza

Teva Pharmaceuticals announced on June 24, 2024 that it had launched an authorized generic of Victoza (liraglutide injection 1.8 mg) in the United States, which the company described as "the first-ever generic GLP-1" on the US market ^[1][3].

Liraglutide is an older, once-daily GLP-1 injection from Novo Nordisk. It is not semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus) or tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound). The generic Teva launched carries the same approved uses as branded Victoza: lowering blood sugar along with diet and exercise in adults and children 10 and older with type 2 diabetes, and reducing the risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke or death in adults with type 2 diabetes and known heart disease ^[1][3]. It is not approved for weight loss. A different liraglutide product, Saxenda, is the version indicated for weight management ^[2].

The numbers

Teva cited IQVIA data showing Victoza had annual sales of $1.656 billion as of April 2024 ^[1][3]. A trade publication reported that Teva planned to charge $469.60 for the two-pack and $704.40 for the three-pack of pens ^[2]. Those figures are list prices reported at launch; what an individual pays at the pharmacy depends on insurance and pharmacy contracts, and the sources do not break that down.

The timing matters. According to the same trade report, the patent on Novo Nordisk's liraglutide ran until November 18, 2024, while semaglutide products still had patent protection until 2026 ^[2]. An authorized generic is a brand-name product sold without the brand name, so it can reach the market before ordinary generic competition begins. Teva's press release does not spell out the terms of its arrangement with Novo Nordisk, and neither does the trade coverage.

"By launching an authorized generic for Victoza (liraglutide injection 1.8mg), we are providing patients with type 2 diabetes another option for this important treatment," said Ernie Richardsen, Teva's SVP and head of US commercial generics ^[1][3]. A Teva spokesperson added that the company "looks forward to bringing our first to file Gx Saxenda to the market at the appropriate time" ^[2].

The product carries the same safety labeling as branded liraglutide, including a boxed warning about thyroid C-cell tumors seen in rats and mice; it is contraindicated in people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 ^[1][4]. Other warnings include pancreatitis, low blood sugar when combined with insulin or sulfonylureas, kidney problems, gallbladder disease and serious allergic reactions ^[1]. The most common side effects listed are nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, decreased appetite, indigestion and constipation ^[1][3].

Why it matters for patients

This was the first crack in the GLP-1 category's exclusivity wall. Until this launch, every GLP-1 sold in the US was a single-source brand. A generic version means a second seller for at least one molecule, which historically puts downward pressure on price over time, though a lone authorized generic usually discounts less than a market with several generic makers.

The practical limits are worth understanding. Liraglutide is a daily injection and an older drug than weekly semaglutide or tirzepatide, and the generic launched here is approved for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular risk reduction, not obesity ^[1][3]. It does not lower the price of Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro or Zepbound. Whether insurers or pharmacy benefit managers moved patients toward generic liraglutide, and what people actually paid out of pocket, is not addressed in these sources.

What happens next

Key dates from the sources: the liraglutide patent was set to expire November 18, 2024 ^[2]. On December 26, 2024, Hikma Pharmaceuticals announced it had received FDA approval for and launched its own generic liraglutide injection, 6 mg/mL, adding a second supplier ^[4]. Hikma cited IQVIA data putting US sales of liraglutide injection at roughly $1.3 billion for the 12 months ending October 2024 ^[4] — lower than the $1.656 billion Teva cited six months earlier ^[1], though the two figures cover different periods and are not directly comparable.

Semaglutide patent protection was reported to run until 2026 ^[2]. Teva has said it intends to launch a generic Saxenda "at the appropriate time," but no date has been announced ^[2].