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News
Viking Therapeutics' experimental obesity drug VK2735 is turning heads — and moving markets. Patients who switched to every-other-week dosing maintained up to 97% of their prior weight loss over 12 weeks, while those on monthly dosing held onto 90%. The news sent Viking's shares soaring 40% premarket, spotlighting a potential new contender in the Novo Nordisk–Eli Lilly dominated obesity space.
Viking's obesity drug flexes its staying power
Viking Therapeutics' experimental obesity treatment VK2735 is making a strong case for itself in the crowded obesity drug market — not just for how much weight it helps patients lose, but for how well it keeps the weight off with less frequent dosing. In a new study, patients who transitioned from weekly injections to an every-other-week schedule maintained up to 97% of their prior weight loss over 12 weeks. Those on a monthly regimen held onto 90%. Meanwhile, a small group that stayed on weekly dosing for 33 weeks lost an average of 21.7% of their body weight.
The results sent Viking's shares up 40% before the bell, underscoring investor excitement about the drug's flexibility and convenience — factors analysts at Oppenheimer say could be VK2735's real competitive edge over rivals from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly. Viking is also developing both injectable and oral versions of VK2735, with oral maintenance dosing planned for a future part of the trial.
By the Numbers
Why it matters: As the obesity drug market races toward $100 billion in annual sales, flexible dosing options that reduce treatment burden could be a game-changer for patient adherence and long-term outcomes — giving Viking a meaningful foothold against pharma giants.
