Viking Therapeutics Stock Price, News & Analysis

Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: VKTX) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel first-in-class or best-in-class therapies for the treatment of metabolic and endocrine disorders. According to the company’s descriptions in multiple press releases, Viking’s research and development activities leverage its expertise in metabolism to develop therapeutics designed to improve patients’ lives, with a pipeline that targets obesity, lipid and liver disorders, and rare genetic disease.

Core focus and therapeutic areas

Viking describes itself as concentrating on metabolic and endocrine disorders. Across its disclosures and news, the company highlights programs in obesity and related metabolic conditions, lipid and liver diseases such as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and elevated LDL-C, as well as the rare genetic disorder X‑linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X‑ALD). These programs are all in the clinical stage, with several compounds having completed Phase 1 or Phase 2 studies and others advancing into Phase 3 trials.

Key clinical program: VK2735 in obesity and metabolic disorders

A central element of Viking Therapeutics’ pipeline is VK2735, which the company describes as a novel dual agonist of the glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP‑1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptors. Viking is developing VK2735 for the potential treatment of various metabolic disorders such as obesity, in both subcutaneous and oral formulations. Company press releases report that VK2735 has been evaluated in Phase 1 and Phase 2 trials, with data showing statistically significant reductions in body weight compared with placebo and an encouraging safety and tolerability profile.

The subcutaneous formulation of VK2735 is being evaluated in a Phase 3 obesity program that includes two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trials known as VANQUISH‑1 and VANQUISH‑2. These studies are designed to assess the efficacy and safety of weekly subcutaneous VK2735 over 78 weeks in adults with obesity or who are overweight, including a separate trial in adults with type 2 diabetes who have obesity or are overweight. The primary endpoint in these trials is the percent change in body weight from baseline compared with placebo, with additional endpoints assessing the proportion of patients achieving specified levels of weight reduction and other safety and efficacy measures.

Earlier, the company conducted the Phase 2 VENTURE study of subcutaneous VK2735 in obesity. Viking reports that this trial successfully achieved its primary and secondary endpoints, with participants receiving VK2735 demonstrating statistically significant reductions in mean body weight from baseline compared with placebo after 13 weeks of weekly dosing. In the VENTURE study, weight loss was progressive through the treatment period, and the company notes that no plateau was observed at 13 weeks. Viking also reports that most adverse events in VK2735-treated participants were mild or moderate, with treatment and study discontinuation rates well-balanced relative to placebo.

Viking has also evaluated an oral tablet formulation of VK2735. A Phase 1 study in subjects with obesity showed dose-dependent reductions in mean body weight from baseline after 28 days of once-daily dosing, with weight loss persisting at follow-up visits several weeks after the last dose. The company describes the safety and tolerability profile as encouraging, with most treatment-emergent adverse events reported as mild or moderate. Building on these findings, Viking conducted the Phase 2 VENTURE‑Oral Dosing study, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in subjects with obesity. According to a company 8‑K and accompanying press release, this study achieved its primary and secondary endpoints, with statistically significant reductions in body weight observed after 13 weeks of once-daily oral VK2735, and high proportions of subjects achieving at least 5% and 10% weight loss compared with placebo.

The VENTURE‑Oral Dosing study also included an exploratory cohort designed to assess weight-loss maintenance. In this group, participants were rapidly titrated to a higher daily dose and then down‑titrated to a lower daily dose. Viking reports that weight loss in this cohort was rapid and progressive at the higher dose and was further extended following transition to the lower maintenance dose, suggesting that weight maintenance may be achievable at lower daily doses. The company has stated that it plans to discuss next steps for the oral formulation of VK2735 with regulatory authorities.

Maintenance dosing strategies for VK2735

To explore long-term treatment approaches, Viking has initiated and, in later news, completed enrollment in a Phase 1 maintenance dosing study of VK2735 in adults with obesity. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial enrolls adults with body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m² who are otherwise healthy. All participants receive initial weekly subcutaneous doses of VK2735 or placebo for 19 weeks, after which they transition to various maintenance regimens, including monthly subcutaneous dosing, daily oral dosing, weekly oral dosing, or placebo. The company states that the objectives are to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetic profile of VK2735 under these regimens, with exploratory endpoints assessing changes in body weight from baseline and from Week 19 to Week 31.

Viking has characterized the availability of both injectable and oral dosage forms of VK2735, utilizing the same dual-acting GLP‑1/GIP agonist molecule, as a feature that may enable flexible treatment options. In its communications, the company links this flexibility to the potential for improved treatment adherence and long-term maintenance of weight loss.

Additional obesity and metabolic programs: DACRAs

Beyond VK2735, Viking reports that its newest program is evaluating a series of internally developed dual amylin and calcitonin receptor agonists (DACRAs) for the treatment of obesity and other metabolic disorders. The company notes that the amylin and calcitonin receptors play important roles in food intake and metabolic control, and that agonism of the amylin pathway may be relevant for developing therapeutics that could be used in combination with GLP‑1 or dual GLP‑1/GIP agonists. Viking has indicated plans to advance this DACRA program through investigational new drug (IND) filing timelines described in its corporate updates.

VK2809 for lipid and liver disorders

Another major program is VK2809, which Viking describes as a novel, orally available, small molecule selective thyroid hormone receptor beta (TRβ) agonist. VK2809 is being developed for the treatment of lipid and metabolic disorders. The company reports that VK2809 has successfully achieved both primary and secondary endpoints in a Phase 2b study in patients with biopsy-confirmed non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and fibrosis. In addition, in a Phase 2a trial in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and elevated LDL‑C, those receiving VK2809 demonstrated statistically significant reductions in LDL‑C and liver fat content compared with placebo. These data, as described in Viking’s press releases, support the continued development of VK2809 in liver and lipid-related indications.

VK0214 for X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy

In the rare disease space, Viking is developing VK0214, which the company describes as a novel, orally available, small molecule selective thyroid hormone receptor beta agonist for the potential treatment of X‑linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X‑ALD). X‑ALD is a genetic disorder, and Viking’s clinical work has focused on the adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN) form of the disease. In a Phase 1b clinical trial in patients with AMN, VK0214 was shown to be safe and well-tolerated, while driving significant reductions in plasma levels of very long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) and other lipids compared with placebo, according to the company’s disclosures.

Clinical-stage status and exchange listing

Across its news releases, Viking consistently identifies itself as a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, indicating that its therapies are in clinical development and not described as approved for commercial sale in the provided materials. The company’s stock is listed on NASDAQ under the ticker VKTX, as referenced in multiple press releases and SEC filings. Viking’s SEC Form 8‑K filings also refer to the company as “Viking Therapeutics, Inc.” and provide updates on financial results and clinical milestones, reinforcing its status as a publicly traded clinical-stage entity.

Business model and development approach

While the provided materials do not detail revenue streams, they repeatedly emphasize Viking’s focus on research and development in metabolism and endocrine disease. The company’s communications describe a pipeline strategy built around internally developed small molecules and peptide-based therapeutics targeting well-characterized hormonal pathways, such as GLP‑1, GIP, amylin, calcitonin, and thyroid hormone receptor beta. Viking also highlights the design of its clinical trials—randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter studies—as central to its development approach, with endpoints that include weight loss, cardiometabolic parameters, liver fat content, lipid levels, and disease-specific biomarkers such as VLCFAs in X‑ALD.

Geographic and conference presence

Press releases identify San Diego as the location in the dateline for Viking’s announcements, and describe the company’s participation in scientific and investor conferences in cities such as San Francisco, Atlanta, New Orleans, New York, and London. These activities include corporate presentations at healthcare investment conferences and poster presentations at scientific meetings such as ObesityWeek and the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, where Viking has shared clinical data and study designs related to VK2735 and broader cardiometabolic research.

Regulatory and investor communications

Viking’s recent Form 8‑K filings report material events such as quarterly financial results and top-line clinical trial outcomes. For example, one 8‑K notes the issuance of a press release reporting financial results for a quarter and providing a corporate update, while another references a press release announcing top-line results from the Phase 2 clinical trial of the oral tablet formulation of VK2735. These filings indicate that Viking uses SEC disclosures to furnish information on clinical progress and financial condition to investors, in line with standard practices for NASDAQ-listed biopharmaceutical companies.

Summary

According to its own descriptions in press releases and SEC filings, Viking Therapeutics, Inc. is a NASDAQ-listed, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on metabolic and endocrine disorders. Its pipeline includes VK2735 for obesity and related metabolic conditions in both subcutaneous and oral forms, VK2809 for lipid and liver disorders including NASH, and VK0214 for the rare disease X‑linked adrenoleukodystrophy, along with an emerging DACRA program for obesity and other metabolic disorders. The company emphasizes clinical data demonstrating weight loss, improvements in cardiometabolic parameters, reductions in liver fat and LDL‑C, and biomarker changes in X‑ALD, as it advances multiple compounds through Phase 1, Phase 2, and Phase 3 clinical development.