Viking Therapeutics VK2735 Retains Up to 97% of Weight Loss With Reduced Dosing, Stock Surges 30% Plus

Viking Therapeutics reported positive topline results from a maintenance study of its dual GLP-1/GIP agonist VK2735, showing the drug held up to 97% of prior weight loss when patients shifted from weekly to every-other-week injections, and up to 90% with monthly dosing over a 12-week maintenance period. Patients had already lost roughly 16% to 19% of body weight during a 21-week induction phase. An exploratory arm that continued weekly 17.5 mg injections reached approximately 22% weight loss by week 33, with no plateau observed, a figure cited widely as a headline number. Gastrointestinal side effects during the maintenance phase were comparable to placebo and discontinuation rates remained low.

Shares of Viking surged between 27% and 36% in Tuesday trading depending on the measure and timing, making VKTX one of the heaviest pre-market movers of the session with more than 1.45 million shares traded before the open. The stock broke out of a multi-week downtrend on high volume, with analysts pointing to $43 as the next key resistance level. B.Riley reiterated its Buy rating after the data. Unusual options activity in the prior session's power hour drew attention, with contracts opened around $3.38 hitting a high of $11.30 on the day.

Competitors did not share in the rally. Shares of Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk fell on the session, as observers noted the data positions VK2735 as a potential challenger to Lilly's Zepbound and Novo's franchise in the obesity drug market, which VK2735 is already entering through Phase 3 development. Viking said its next step is testing an oral formulation for the maintenance dosing regimen.