FDA Approves Teva's First GLP-1 Drug for Obesity Treatment

Teva Pharmaceuticals, the U.S. affiliate of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., has announced the FDA approval and U.S. market availability of the first generic version of Saxenda (liraglutide injection), a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist injectable solution for chronic weight management.

"By obtaining this clearance, we are delighted to present the first generic GLP-1 therapy in the U.S. specifically for weight loss," said Ernie Richardsen, Senior Vice President, Head of U.S. Commercial Generics at Teva. "This achievement marks our fifth debut of a first-to-market product this year, thus deepening our complex generics portfolio and reaffirming our status as a global Generics Powerhouse."

Liraglutide has been authorized in the case of adults suffering from obesity or overweight, and who are also affected by weight-related medical conditions, as well as in children aged 12-17 years with obesity and weight of over 60 kg, respectively. The treatment drives both weight lowering and maintenance of the body weight over a long period of time, thus, it is a program that solves one of the most crucial and expanding health problems in the world.

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Industry data shows that Saxenda had annual U.S. sales of roughly $165 million as of June 2025. Teva’s move with this release into the area of obesity treatment increases patient access to GLP-1 mAbs, thus carrying the option of a lower-cost therapy for the management of overweight and related comorbidities.