Better Biotech Stock to Buy With $1,500 Right Now: Viking Therapeutics vs. Summit Therapeutics

Viking Therapeutics - Viking is developing VK2735, a therapy for obesity, with phase 3 trials for the injectable formulation and phase 2 trials for the oral formulation soon to begin [3] - The anti-obesity medicine market is projected to reach $105 billion annually by 2030, with Viking aiming to capture a share of this growing market [5] - Viking has $942 million in cash, equivalents, and short-term investments as of Q2, with operating expenses of just over $34 million, ensuring sufficient funding for late-stage trials [6] - If VK2735 is approved, Viking could see significant returns, especially if it captures even 10% of the anti-obesity market [12] Summit Therapeutics - Summit is focused on commercializing ivonescimab, a biologic drug for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), licensed from Akesobio [7] - The NSCLC drug market is expected to grow to $26 billion annually by 2032, up from $11.5 billion currently, with Summit aiming to carve out a niche with ivonescimab [9] - Summit has $326 million in cash, equivalents, and short-term investments as of Q2, and recently raised $235 million, providing ample capital to bring its advanced programs to market [10] - Summit's first two programs could hit the market within the next 3-4 years, with one receiving FDA Fast Track designation [10] Market Comparison - Viking is targeting the larger anti-obesity market ($105 billion by 2030), while Summit is focused on the smaller NSCLC market ($26 billion by 2032) [5][9] - Viking's internal R&D allows for further development of its candidates, while Summit relies on Akesobio's pipeline for future opportunities [12][13] - Viking is seen as a more appealing investment due to the larger market potential, despite being riskier without a collaborator like Akesobio [11][12]