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Actions of Viking therapeutics surged more than 80% in premarket trading on Tuesday after the company's experimental weight loss drug showed promising early results in a mid-stage trial.
Viking Therapeutics is one of several small obesity drug makers hoping to enter the nascent weight-loss drug industry, which analysts say could grow to a $100 billion market by the end of the decade. .
But it may not join that space on its own: Analysts have suggested that larger pharmaceutical companies, such as pfizer, which scrapped two of its own weight-loss drug candidates last year, could potentially acquire a company like Viking Therapeutics.
The trial followed more than 170 patients with obesity, some of whom received different dose sizes of the injectable or a placebo. Those who received weekly doses of the treatment lost up to 14.7% of their body weight after 13 weeks.
Up to 88% of patients who received the drug, known as VK2735, achieved at least 10% weight loss, compared to just 4% of those who did not receive the treatment.
Notably, there was no evidence of a plateau in weight loss at week 13 for any dose of the drug, suggesting that “greater weight loss could be achieved” by keeping patients on treatment longer, he said. Viking CEO Brian Lian during a call with investors. .
The drug demonstrated “encouraging” safety in patients after the 13-week trial period. Patients also appeared to tolerate the drug well.
Viking plans to present the full Phase 2 data at medical conferences. The company also said it plans to meet with the Food and Drug Administration to discuss further steps for the development of VK2735.
Separately, the company said it expects to publish data from early-stage trials on an oral version of its weight-loss drug.
Viking Therapeutics' drug targets GLP-1 and another hormone called GIP. Those are the same hormones that Eli Lilly Weight loss and diabetes drugs Zepbound and Mounjaro target.
