What Is Xultophy?
Published May 6, 2026
Xultophy is a medication name that often causes confusion because it sounds like a standalone GLP-1 brand, but it also contains insulin. This detail changes how the medication is categorized. Xultophy 100/3.6 is not shorthand for liraglutide alone, nor is it simply another name for Tresiba or Victoza.
Key Takeaways
- Xultophy 100/3.6 is a brand name for a fixed-ratio injection containing insulin degludec and liraglutide.
- The current U.S. label describes Xultophy as an adjunct to diet and exercise for glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes.
- The 100/3.6 name refers to 100 units/mL insulin degludec and 3.6 mg/mL liraglutide.
- Xultophy is insulin plus a GLP-1 receptor agonist, so it should not be treated as a plain GLP-1 brand name.
- Current labeling lists a 50-unit daily maximum, which also equals 1.8 mg of liraglutide.
1. What Is Xultophy?
Xultophy 100/3.6 is a Novo Nordisk brand name for a prescription injection combining insulin degludec and liraglutide. The DailyMed Xultophy label describes it as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Insulin degludec is a long-acting human insulin analog. Liraglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. Together, they make Xultophy a fixed-ratio combination product rather than a single-molecule brand.
The product components are:
| Layer | Xultophy example | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Brand name | Xultophy 100/3.6 | The marketed combination product. |
| Insulin component | Insulin degludec | The long-acting insulin analog in the pen. |
| GLP-1 component | Liraglutide | The GLP-1 receptor agonist in the pen. |
| Route | Subcutaneous injection | The label route, not an oral product. |
| Label context | Adults with type 2 diabetes | The approved medical context in current U.S. labeling. |
This separation matters. Calling Xultophy a “GLP-1” leaves out the insulin, while calling it “insulin” leaves out the liraglutide. Both shortcuts are incomplete.
2. What Does Xultophy 100/3.6 Mean?
The “100/3.6” in the name denotes the medication’s concentration. The label lists 100 units/mL of insulin degludec and 3.6 mg/mL of liraglutide in a 3 mL single-patient-use pen. These are fixed-ratio label details, not personal dosing instructions.
The dose counter on the pen shows units of Xultophy, not separate dials for each ingredient. One displayed unit always delivers both medications at this fixed ratio.
The label lists a maximum daily dosage of 50 units. At that maximum, the combined delivery is 50 units of insulin degludec and 1.8 mg of liraglutide.
Understanding the terminology is important:
| Xultophy wording | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ”100/3.6” | Concentration per mL, not a personal dose. |
| ”1 unit” | 1 unit insulin degludec plus 0.036 mg liraglutide. |
| ”50 units” | The maximum daily dosage, equal to 50 units insulin degludec plus 1.8 mg liraglutide. |
This explains the label’s concentration, but actual dosing, titration, missed doses, and switching must be managed by a prescriber.
4. Who Is the Xultophy Label About?
According to the CDC, type 2 diabetes accounts for about 90% to 95% of diagnosed diabetes cases in the United States. Xultophy’s U.S. label is intended for this adult type 2 diabetes context. DailyMed notes that it is not recommended as a first-choice medicine for treating diabetes.
The patient labeling states Xultophy is not for people with type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. It also clarifies that it is not known whether Xultophy can be safely used with mealtime insulin or in children.
Because Xultophy contains liraglutide, the label specifies that using it with another liraglutide-containing product or another GLP-1 receptor agonist is not recommended.
5. Why Xultophy Is Easy to Mix Up With Other Medications
DailyMed’s Xultophy label identifies it as both a GLP-1 receptor agonist (liraglutide) and an insulin (degludec). This places Xultophy right between two very common naming habits: insulin shorthand and GLP-1 shorthand.
Referring to Xultophy merely as a “GLP-1 injection” ignores the insulin, while calling it “basal insulin” ignores the liraglutide. Calling it a “daily diabetes pen” is too vague.
When tracking medication, it helps to use separate fields to keep details organized:
| Field | Xultophy record |
|---|---|
| Brand | Xultophy 100/3.6 |
| Active ingredients | Insulin degludec and liraglutide |
| Ingredient classes | Long-acting insulin analog plus GLP-1 receptor agonist |
| Route | Subcutaneous injection |
| Label source checked | Current DailyMed label |
| Date checked | May 6, 2026 |
6. Xultophy vs Soliqua
Soliqua 100/33 is another fixed-ratio insulin and GLP-1 receptor agonist combination. The DailyMed Soliqua label lists insulin glargine and lixisenatide, while the Xultophy label lists insulin degludec and liraglutide.
Both medications belong to the same broad category: a single pen combining a basal insulin component with a GLP-1 receptor agonist component. However, the specific ingredients are different.
| Product | Insulin component | GLP-1 receptor agonist component | Label maximum shown in current DailyMed source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xultophy 100/3.6 | Insulin degludec | Liraglutide | 50 units daily, equal to 50 units insulin degludec and 1.8 mg liraglutide. |
| Soliqua 100/33 | Insulin glargine | Lixisenatide | 60 units daily, equal to 60 units insulin glargine and 20 mcg lixisenatide. |
This table only compares ingredients and dosing limits, not clinical preference, A1C outcomes, or side-effect rates.
7. Safety Language From the Xultophy Label
The Xultophy label carries a boxed warning about thyroid C-cell tumors based on findings related to liraglutide in rodents. It states that Xultophy is contraindicated in patients with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2.
The label also lists warnings for pancreatitis, hypoglycemia, acute kidney injury due to volume depletion, severe gastrointestinal adverse reactions, hypersensitivity reactions, acute gallbladder disease, hypokalemia, fluid retention with certain PPAR-gamma agonists, and pulmonary aspiration during general anesthesia or deep sedation.
Because the product contains two active ingredients, medication-error language is prominent.
8. What Facts Should You Track?
The most useful facts to record for Xultophy are its brand, active ingredients, concentration, route, label context, and maximum daily dosage. Tracking these specific details helps prevent common mix-ups:
| Fact | Xultophy entry |
|---|---|
| Brand | Xultophy 100/3.6 |
| Active ingredients | Insulin degludec and liraglutide |
| Concentration | 100 units/mL insulin degludec and 3.6 mg/mL liraglutide |
| Per displayed unit | 1 unit insulin degludec and 0.036 mg liraglutide |
| Current label context | Adults with type 2 diabetes, adjunct to diet and exercise for glycemic control |
| Do not confuse with | Tresiba, Victoza, Saxenda, Soliqua, Ozempic, Mounjaro |
For broader category background, see What Is a GLP-1?. For the liraglutide side of the medication, see What Is Liraglutide?. For organizing medication details, GLP-1 Dose Tracker covers how to keep accurate personal notes.
9. What Is Xultophy FAQ
What is Xultophy in simple terms?
Xultophy 100/3.6 is a prescription injection that combines insulin degludec, a long-acting insulin analog, with liraglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist. Current U.S. labeling places it in an adult type 2 diabetes context for glycemic control.
Is Xultophy a GLP-1?
Xultophy contains liraglutide, which is a GLP-1 receptor agonist. It also contains insulin degludec. The inclusion of insulin means it is a combination product, not a standalone GLP-1.
What does Xultophy 100/3.6 mean?
The numbers describe the concentration in the pen: 100 units/mL insulin degludec and 3.6 mg/mL liraglutide. Each displayed dosage unit contains 1 unit of insulin degludec and 0.036 mg of liraglutide.
Is Xultophy the same as Tresiba or Victoza?
No. Tresiba is an insulin degludec brand. Victoza is a liraglutide brand. Xultophy combines both insulin degludec and liraglutide into one fixed-ratio pen.
How is Xultophy different from Soliqua?
Both are fixed-ratio insulin and GLP-1 receptor agonist combinations for adults with type 2 diabetes, but they use different ingredients. Xultophy contains insulin degludec and liraglutide. Soliqua contains insulin glargine and lixisenatide.
10. Sources
References used for this article