Viking Therapeutics just revealed a new plan that could make waves in the weight loss industry.So far this year, Eli Lilly (LLY 0.54%) has been on an absolute tear and is swiftly becoming the world's most prolific pharmaceutical operation in my eyes. In addition to the unprecedented growth of its diabetes and obesity care treatments, Lilly has also secured some major wins from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), including approval for both its Alzheimer's disease candidate and eczema drug.While it looks ...

Core Insights - Viking Therapeutics, Inc. announced that results from its Phase 2b clinical trial of VK2809 will be presented at the 75th Liver Meeting® 2024, focusing on nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) [1][2] Company Overview - Viking Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing novel therapies for metabolic and endocrine disorders, with three compounds currently in clinical trials [4] - The company leverages its expertise in metabolism to create innovative therapeutics aimed at improving patient outcomes [4] VK2809 Details - VK2809 is an orally available, selective thyroid hormone receptor beta agonist with a focus on liver tissue, showing potential in treating lipid disorders [3] - The Phase 2b VOYAGE study of VK2809 successfully met both primary and secondary endpoints in patients with biopsy-confirmed NASH and fibrosis [3] - In a Phase 2a study, VK2809 demonstrated significant reductions in LDL-C and liver fat content compared to placebo in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) [4] Upcoming Presentation - The oral presentation titled "Results from the 52-Week Phase 2b VOYAGE Trial of VK2809 in Patients with Biopsy-Confirmed NonAlcoholic Steatohepatitis and Fibrosis" will be delivered by Dr. Rohit Loomba on November 19, 2024, at the San Diego Convention Center [2]

Viking stock has slipped more than 20% from its peak.Viking Therapeutics (VKTX -0.54%) soared to center stage earlier this year as a potentially promising player in one of today's highest-growth healthcare markets: weight loss drugs. The biotech company presented solid data for a candidate that could eventually rival blockbuster weight loss drugs from big pharma companies Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk. And in just one trading session, the shares skyrocketed, rising more than 100%.Since then, Viking has reitera ...

Core Viewpoint - Viking Therapeutics is positioned for success with multiple compelling reasons to invest in its stock, particularly as it approaches revenue generation and has a strong pipeline of clinical programs [1]. Group 1: Revenue Generation - Viking is on track to generate revenue for the first time, with its lead candidate VK2735 expected to enter phase 3 clinical trials in early 2025 after discussions with the FDA [2][3]. - In a 13-week trial, VK2735 demonstrated an average weight loss of 13.1% on a placebo-adjusted basis, with mild side effects, indicating its potential effectiveness compared to competitors [4][5]. Group 2: New Clinical Programs - The company plans to file for early-stage clinical trials in 2025 for a new weight loss therapy that targets amylin and calcitonin receptors, which are not currently represented in its pipeline [6]. - This new program could lead to rapid weight loss and improved maintenance of weight, positioning Viking competitively against other companies like AstraZeneca and Novo Nordisk [7][8]. Group 3: Financial Flexibility - Viking has over $930 million in cash and equivalents, with trailing-12-month R&D expenditures of $91 million, indicating strong financial health and minimal risk of share dilution [9][10]. - The absence of long-term debt and the ability to borrow at reasonable rates if needed further enhance its financial flexibility [11]. Group 4: Collaboration Opportunities - Viking has the potential to form collaboration agreements and partnerships, particularly for VK2735, as other biopharma companies may seek to participate in its success [12][13]. - Currently, Viking does not require additional resources from collaborators, but future partnerships could expedite market entry and enhance its commercialization strategy [14].

Core Viewpoint - Viking Therapeutics is positioned for significant growth with its lead candidate VK2735 in the anti-obesity market, supported by promising clinical data and strong financials [2][5][10]. Company Overview - Viking Therapeutics has not yet received approval for any drugs but is developing VK2735, which aims to compete with established players like Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk in the weight loss drug market [4][5]. - The company presented new data at the Obesity Week 2024 conference, reinforcing the investment thesis for VK2735, indicating potential for substantial market share if approved [5][7]. Clinical Development - VK2735 is being tested in two formulations: a weekly injection and a daily pill, with the pill expected to enter phase 2 trials by the end of the year and the injection moving to phase 3 soon [6]. - In trials, participants using the highest dose of the VK2735 pill lost an average of 6.8% of body mass compared to 1.4% for the placebo group, with weight maintenance observed for at least a month post-treatment [7][8]. Competitive Advantage - VK2735 may offer a long-term weight maintenance solution, a capability currently lacking in major competitors, which could lead to sustained revenue from patients [8][9]. - The company has a strong financial position with $930 million in cash and no long-term debt, allowing it to fund ongoing clinical trials and additional R&D programs [10][11]. Financial Stability - Viking's operating expenses were only $134 million over the trailing 12 months, indicating ample resources to support its clinical programs without the risk of dilution from new stock offerings [10][12]. - The financial health of the company suggests it can withstand setbacks in clinical trials without significant impact [12].

Are we ready for the Great Obesity Drug Gold Rush of the 2020s?For high-profile biotech Viking Therapeutics (VKTX -13.36%), Monday was very much a good news/bad news kind of day. The company reported quite encouraging clinical results from a version of its investigational weight-loss drug. Before long, however, this was overshadowed by promising news from rival developers of similar treatments.Ultimately, after an early surge, Viking's shares closed the day more than 13% lower in price.Weight loss for profi ...

Group 1 - Proactive provides fast, accessible, informative, and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience [2][3] - The news team covers medium and small-cap markets, as well as blue-chip companies, commodities, and broader investment stories [2][3] - Proactive focuses on various sectors including biotech and pharma, mining and natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto, and emerging digital and EV technologies [3] Group 2 - Proactive employs technology to enhance workflows and has a team with decades of expertise [3] - The company utilizes automation and software tools, including generative AI, while ensuring all content is edited and authored by humans [4]

Company Participation in Investor Conferences - Viking Therapeutics will participate in several upcoming investor conferences, including the Truist Healthcare Conference on November 7, 2024, the UBS Global Healthcare Conference from November 11-14, 2024, the Stifel 2024 Healthcare Conference on November 18-19, 2024, and the Jefferies London Healthcare Conference from November 19-21, 2024 [1] Company Overview - Viking Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel therapies for metabolic and endocrine disorders, with three compounds currently in clinical trials [2] - The company's lead compound, VK2735, is a dual agonist for GLP-1 and GIP receptors, showing positive safety and clinical benefit in Phase 1 and Phase 2 trials for metabolic disorders [2] - VK2809, another compound, is a selective thyroid hormone receptor beta agonist that has met primary and secondary endpoints in a Phase 2b study for NASH and fibrosis, and has shown significant reductions in LDL-C and liver fat in a Phase 2a trial for NAFLD [2] - The company is also developing VK0214 for X-ALD, which demonstrated safety and significant reductions in VLCFAs in a Phase 1b trial [2]

The U.S. presidential election will be held on November 5, 2024, but there’s another event that investors may want to vote on before the election. From November 3 through November 6, the Obesity Society will hold its annual meeting, ObesityWeek 2024. Viking Therapeutics Inc. NASDAQ: VKTX will be a key presenter. Viking Therapeutics TodayVKTXViking Therapeutics$71.75 -1.60 (-2.18%) 52-Week Range$9.32▼$99.41Price Target$108.60Add to WatchlistViking will provide updates on its lead candidate's progress, VK2735 ...

Thank you for reading my research on Seeking Alpha. If you want to learn even more about my method and how I discover these investment opportunities, please check out my subscription marketplace service, Compounding Healthcare , and sign up for a free trial.It has been over five months since my previous Viking Therapeutics (NASDAQ: VKTX ) article , where I laid out a case for Viking Therapeutics as a prime acquisition target thanks to their impressive pipeline targeting obesity, NASH, X-ALD, and sarcopenia. ...