Viking Therapeutics' Obesity Pill Shows 8.2% Weight Loss, Stock Surges 20%

Nov 4, 2024, 01:52 AM

Viking Therapeutics' experimental obesity pill, VK2735, has shown promising results in recent studies. The oral formulation demonstrated a weight loss of 8.2% and 6.8% in separate trials, with safety and tolerability comparable to a placebo. The drug's efficacy and safety profile position it as a potential competitor to existing treatments from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly. Viking's market cap is around $10 billion, with the total addressable market for obesity treatments estimated at over $200 billion. The company's stock surged 20% in overnight trading following the release of the data. The 28-day Phase 1 trial showed positive results even at a 100mg dose. Future trials are expected to further validate the drug's effectiveness and safety.