Has anyone compared Saxenda and Qsymia in the same trial?

No head-to-head trial has compared these two drugs. Saxenda's figures come from SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes (56 weeks) and Qsymia's from CONQUER (56 weeks), which enrolled different people for different lengths of time. Numbers from separate trials can be read side by side, but they are not a measured difference.

What does each one cost per month?

Saxenda is listed at $1,000–$1,349/month. Qsymia is listed at $30–$400/month (generic; brand runs to $400). The full price note for each is set out in the cost section above. What you pay depends on your insurance, your dose and your pharmacy.

Can I switch from Saxenda to Qsymia?

Switching between weight-loss medicines is a decision for the prescriber who knows your history, your other medicines and how you have responded so far — this site cannot make it for you. What switching involves in practice, including dose steps and the gap between drugs, is set out on the switching page.

Which side effects were reported most often?

In SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes (56 weeks), the reaction reported most often with liraglutide was nausea — 40% of participants. In CONQUER (56 weeks), the reaction reported most often with phentermine / topiramate ER was dry mouth — 21% of participants. Rates come from different trials with different participants, and a rate is not a prediction for any one person.

Saxenda vs Qsymia: trials compared

At a glance

Saxenda and Qsymia compared on form, trial results, cost and reported side effects
Attribute	Saxenda	Qsymia
Form	Daily injection	Daily capsule
How often	Daily injection	Daily oral capsule — no injection
Weight loss in trials	Up to 8% — SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes (56 weeks)	Up to 9.8% — CONQUER (56 weeks)
FDA approved	2014	2012
Made by	Novo Nordisk	Vivus
How it works	A GLP-1 analogue with a half-life of approximately 13 hours (requiring daily injection).	Phentermine suppresses appetite by triggering the release of adrenaline-like chemicals in the brain's hunger control centre.
Monthly cost, self-pay	$1,000–$1,349/mo	$30–$400/mogeneric; brand runs to $400
Most reported reaction	Nausea 40% (SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes)	Dry mouth 21% (CONQUER)

Every figure in this table is read from the same trial and label records used everywhere else on this site.

Weight loss in each drug's main trial

No head-to-head trial has compared these two drugs.

Saxenda(liraglutide)8%

SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes (56 weeks)

Qsymia(phentermine / topiramate ER)9.8%

CONQUER (56 weeks)

In clinical trials, participants taking liraglutide lost on average up to 8% of their starting body weight, and participants taking phentermine / topiramate ER lost on average up to 9.8%. Those numbers come from two different studies: SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes enrolled 3,731 adults with obesity or overweight with comorbidities over 56 weeks against placebo, while CONQUER enrolled 2,487 adults with obesity and at least 2 weight-related health conditions over 56 weeks against placebo. Who took part, how long each trial ran and what each drug was measured against all move the percentage, so the two figures are not a measured difference between the drugs.

Monthly cost, self-pay

The bar spans the range in each drug's price record — lowest listed price to highest.

Saxenda$1,000–$1,349/mo

Brand (Saxenda) ~$1,000–$1,349/month. Generic liraglutide is typically $135–$200 less than brand.

Qsymia$30–$400/mo

generic; brand runs to $400

~$30–$80/month generic; ~$200–$400/month brand (Qsymia).

Self-pay prices are what the manufacturer or the pharmacy lists, not what most people end up paying. Saxenda: $1,000–$1,349/month. Qsymia: $30–$400/month. Insurance, dose and pharmacy all change both figures.

Side effects reported in the trials

Both trials reported one reaction in common. Each rate is the percentage of participants who reported it in the trial named beside it, so the two columns are not from the same study.

Constipation

Saxenda · SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes19%

Qsymia · CONQUER17%

A rate is the share of trial participants who reported that reaction, not a prediction for any one person.

How they differ in practice

How you take it

Saxenda — Once-daily subcutaneous injection
Qsymia — Once-daily extended-release capsule

Dose build-up

Saxenda — 0.6 mg → 3.0 mg, escalated over 4 weeks
Qsymia — 3.75/23 mg → 15/92 mg, titrated over 14 weeks

Where a drug is not listed here, its prescribing information sets out its own dose steps.

How soon it acts

Saxenda — Effects visible within 4–8 weeks; maximum benefit typically by 56 weeks
Qsymia — Appetite suppression typically begins within the first week; significant weight loss by 12–16 weeks

Heart and metabolic findings

Saxenda — The LEADER trial, in type 2 diabetes, showed cardiovascular benefit.
Qsymia — In CONQUER, there were significant reductions in blood pressure, waist circumference, triglycerides and blood glucose.

As stated in each drug’s trial record — not a claim about which drug protects the heart more.

Other findings recorded

Saxenda — Approved for adolescents aged 12 and over (SCALE teens programme); generic liraglutide now available (Teva, August 2025) — reducing out-of-pocket cost
Qsymia — Generic now available (from 2025) — significantly lower cost than GLP-1 drugs; improved blood pressure and triglycerides in CONQUER trial

If you stop taking it

Saxenda — Weight regain after stopping is expected, as with other GLP-1 drugs.
Qsymia — Weight regain after stopping is expected.

Common questions

Written and maintained by one person · Built with agentic AI tools · Every number checked against the cited trial · Not medical advice

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Next step most people take

Compare all optionsEvery approved drug side by side, plus the other head-to-head pages Saxenda in fullSaxenda — results, side effects, cost and how it is taken Qsymia in fullQsymia — results, side effects, cost and how it is taken Take the option finder quizAnswer a few questions and see which options fit your situation

Built with agentic AI tools and not a substitute for medical advice

Last reviewed: September 2026

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Medical disclaimer: This website is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any treatment. Prices shown are United States self-pay or list prices and vary by insurance and country.