Viking Therapeutics (VKTX.US) saw its shares spike nearly 50% in Tuesday's premarket trading after the biotech announced that its experimental obesity drug, VK2735, helped patients maintain most of their weight loss when the dosing frequency was reduced from once weekly to once every two weeks. This outcome is expected to further bolster VK2735's competitive standing in the rapidly expanding weight-loss drug market, where companies are vying against the blockbuster therapies from Eli Lilly (LLY.US) and Novo Nordisk (NVO.US). VK2735 is viewed as a potential rival to heavyweights like Lilly's Zepbound and Novo's Wegovy.
As of the latest update, VKTX shares were trading up roughly 23%. So far this year, the stock has declined about 15%.
Up to 97% of weight loss maintained
In this study involving 180 patients, adults with obesity initially received weekly injections of VK2735, a GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist, for 21 weeks. During this period, patients experienced weight reductions of 16% to 19%, while an exploratory group that continued with weekly treatment achieved approximately 22% weight loss after 33 weeks. Among patients who then switched to a once-every-two-weeks dosing schedule for an additional 12 weeks, up to 97% of their prior weight loss was preserved, whereas those moved to a placebo maintained only 61%.
Viking Therapeutics' Chief Executive Officer, Brian Lian, remarked: "This may open the door to evaluating higher doses and enhances the potential for exploring maintenance and induction phases of weight loss with less frequent dosing regimens."
VK2735 is Viking's lead obesity candidate, being developed in both injectable and oral formulations. The injectable version is undergoing evaluation in the Phase 3 Vanquish program, initiated in 2025, which includes two fully enrolled trials with a combined patient count of approximately 5,500.
Analysts point out that the opportunity in the weight-loss drug market remains substantial. In July, Goldman Sachs Research raised its 2030 global obesity drug sales forecast to $114 billion, with oral therapies expected to capture around 40% of that market share.
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