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Viking Therapeutics' Obesity Drug Shows 8.2% Weight Loss, Strong Safety Profile

Nov 4, 2024, 01:44 AM

Viking Therapeutics ($VKTX) has reported promising results from its Phase 1 trial of the oral obesity drug VK2735. The drug demonstrated an 8.2% weight loss in patients, positioning it as a strong competitor against market leaders like Novo Nordisk ($NVO) and Eli Lilly ($LLY). The trial also highlighted the drug's excellent safety profile, showing similar gastrointestinal tolerability to placebo across all dose escalations up to 100mg. The study observed no moderate or severe nausea and only one case of vomiting, even at higher doses. Additionally, a 28-day study showed a 5.3% reduction from baseline with no discontinuations. These results have generated significant anticipation in the market, with analysts suggesting that VK2735 could potentially reach triple-digit stock prices. The total addressable market (TAM) for obesity treatments is estimated to be over $200 billion, while Viking Therapeutics' market cap is currently around $10 billion.