Farxiga and Jardiance are not the same medication, but they are closely related. Both belong to the same drug class, called SGLT2 inhibitors, and they work through the same biological mechanism. Farxiga is the brand name for dapagliflozin (made by AstraZeneca), while Jardiance is the brand name for empagliflozin (made by Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly). They are prescribed for many of the same conditions, share similar side effects, and produce comparable results, but they differ in dosing, a few specific FDA approvals, and generic availability.
How Both Drugs Work
SGLT2 inhibitors block a protein in your kidneys that normally reabsorbs sugar back into your bloodstream. By disabling that protein, these drugs cause your body to flush excess glucose out through urine. This lowers blood sugar without relying on insulin. The same mechanism also reduces fluid volume in your body, which is why both drugs lower blood pressure slightly and reduce strain on the heart and kidneys.
Originally developed for type 2 diabetes, both medications turned out to have significant benefits for the heart and kidneys that go beyond blood sugar control. That discovery reshaped how doctors use them, and today many people taking Farxiga or Jardiance don’t have diabetes at all.
FDA-Approved Uses
The FDA has approved both Farxiga and Jardiance for three overlapping purposes: improving blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes (alongside diet and exercise), reducing the risk of heart-related death and hospitalization in adults with heart failure, and slowing the progression of chronic kidney disease.
Where they diverge slightly is in cardiovascular labeling. Jardiance carries an additional approval for reducing the risk of cardiovascular death in adults who have type 2 diabetes with established heart disease. Farxiga’s cardiovascular indication focuses more specifically on reducing hospitalization for heart failure in adults with type 2 diabetes who have established heart disease or multiple cardiac risk factors. In practice, doctors often consider them interchangeable for these purposes, but the specific wording on the label can matter for insurance coverage.
Dosing Differences
The two drugs use different milligram amounts, so they aren’t directly swappable by dose. Jardiance starts at 10 mg once daily, taken in the morning with or without food. For additional blood sugar control, it can be increased to 25 mg. For heart failure and chronic kidney disease, the standard dose stays at 10 mg.
Farxiga is typically prescribed at 5 mg or 10 mg once daily. The lower starting dose is one practical difference your doctor may consider, particularly if you’re sensitive to side effects or have reduced kidney function.
Kidney Function Requirements
Because these drugs work through the kidneys, your kidney function (measured by a blood test called eGFR) determines whether you can take them. Jardiance should not be started if your eGFR is below 45, and it’s contraindicated below 30. Farxiga generally has slightly more permissive cutoffs for certain indications, which can make it the preferred choice for people with more advanced kidney disease. Your doctor will check your kidney function before prescribing either one and periodically afterward.
Weight Loss and Blood Pressure Effects
Neither drug is approved for weight loss, but both cause modest weight reduction as a side effect of flushing glucose out through urine. In 24-week clinical trials, people taking Jardiance at 10 mg lost about 2.8% of their body weight, and those on 25 mg lost about 3.2%. For a 200-pound person, that translates to roughly 5.5 to 6.5 pounds. Farxiga produces similar results in its own trials. This isn’t dramatic weight loss, but it’s a welcome bonus for many people with type 2 diabetes.
Both drugs also modestly lower systolic blood pressure (the top number). Jardiance reduced it by about 2.6 to 3.4 mmHg compared to placebo in clinical studies. Again, Farxiga shows comparable effects. Neither replaces blood pressure medication, but the reduction can be clinically meaningful when combined with other treatments.
Cardiovascular Trial Results
Each drug was tested in its own large cardiovascular outcomes trial, and both showed heart and kidney benefits, though the results differed in emphasis. Jardiance’s landmark EMPA-REG OUTCOME trial demonstrated a significant reduction in cardiovascular death in people with type 2 diabetes and established heart disease. Farxiga’s DECLARE-TIMI 58 trial, which enrolled a broader population including people with risk factors but no established heart disease, showed a rate of major adverse cardiac events of 8.8% versus 9.4% for placebo. That difference was not statistically significant for superiority, but Farxiga did significantly reduce heart failure hospitalizations.
A large observational study published through TCTMD found that the benefits of various SGLT2 inhibitors, including both Farxiga and Jardiance, were mostly consistent across the class. In other words, the differences between the two drugs appear smaller than the benefits they share.
Side Effects
Because they share the same mechanism, Farxiga and Jardiance cause the same types of side effects. The most common is genital yeast infections, which occur at roughly three times the rate seen with placebo. This affects both men and women, though women over 50 appear to be at higher risk. The infections are typically mild and treatable.
Urinary tract infections were initially a concern, but meta-analyses have shown no clear increased risk across the SGLT2 inhibitor class overall. Some data suggest a modest increase in women over 50.
The most serious rare side effect is diabetic ketoacidosis, a dangerous buildup of acids in the blood. This is uncommon but can occur even when blood sugar levels appear normal, which makes it tricky to recognize. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and unusual fatigue. The risk is higher in people with type 1 diabetes, and in fact, Farxiga’s approval for type 1 diabetes was withdrawn due to this concern. Both drugs carry warnings about ketoacidosis on their labels.
Other shared side effects include increased urination (a direct result of how the drugs work), dehydration, and occasional drops in blood pressure when standing up.
Cost and Generic Availability
This is where the two drugs have recently diverged in a significant way. In April 2025, the FDA approved the first generic versions of Farxiga (dapagliflozin), with multiple manufacturers receiving approval. Generic availability typically brings prices down substantially, though actual timing on pharmacy shelves can vary. Jardiance does not yet have an approved generic, which means it remains available only as a brand-name product at a higher price point.
If cost is a factor, the arrival of generic dapagliflozin could make Farxiga’s equivalent the more affordable option. Insurance formularies may also shift in response, potentially favoring generic dapagliflozin over brand-name Jardiance.
Switching Between the Two
Because Farxiga and Jardiance are different molecules with different dosing, you can’t simply swap one for the other on your own. However, doctors frequently switch patients between the two based on insurance coverage, side effect tolerance, kidney function, or cost. The transition is generally straightforward since the drugs work the same way. If your pharmacy or insurer suddenly stops covering one, switching to the other is a common and well-understood adjustment.