Viking Therapeutics Announces Positive Top-Line Results from Phase 2 VENTURE-Oral Dosing Trial of VK2735 Tablet Formulation in Patients with Obesity

Core Insights - Viking Therapeutics, Inc. announced positive top-line results from its Phase 2 clinical trial of VK2735, demonstrating statistically significant weight loss compared to placebo [1][11] - VK2735, a dual agonist of GLP-1 and GIP receptors, showed a mean weight loss of up to 12.2% (26.6 lbs) after 13 weeks of treatment, while placebo participants lost only 1.3% (2.9 lbs) [1][2] - The treatment was found to be safe and well-tolerated, with 99% of gastrointestinal-specific treatment-emergent adverse events classified as mild or moderate [1][5] Weight Loss Efficacy - Participants receiving VK2735 exhibited progressive weight loss throughout the study, with no plateau observed at 13 weeks [2] - Statistically significant weight loss was noted for all doses greater than 15 mg, starting from Week 1 [2] - Up to 97% of VK2735 participants achieved at least 5% weight loss compared to 10% for placebo, and up to 80% achieved at least 10% weight loss compared to 5% for placebo [2] Safety and Tolerability - The study reported low discontinuation rates due to adverse events, with 20% of VK2735 participants discontinuing compared to 13% for placebo [5] - The majority of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were mild or moderate, with nausea reported in 58% of VK2735 participants [6] - Gastrointestinal-related adverse events were most common, but their frequency decreased with continued dosing [6] Maintenance Treatment Insights - An exploratory assessment of a low-dose maintenance treatment showed promising results, indicating effective weight maintenance could be achieved at doses below 30 mg [9] - Participants transitioned from a higher dose of 90 mg to a lower dose of 30 mg maintained significant weight loss, suggesting a potential strategy for long-term weight management [10] Company Overview - Viking Therapeutics is focused on developing novel therapies for metabolic and endocrine disorders, with VK2735 being a key candidate for obesity treatment [15] - The company is also evaluating a subcutaneous formulation of VK2735 in a Phase 3 obesity program, alongside other clinical programs targeting various metabolic disorders [15]