Experienced Industry Leader with More than Two Decades of Global Commercialization and Marketing Expertise SAN DIEGO, Jan. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (Viking) (NASDAQ: VKTX), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel therapies for metabolic and endocrine disorders, today announced the appointment of Neil Aubuchon as chief commercial officer. Mr. Aubuchon brings more than two decades of biopharmaceutical industry experience spanning leadership role ...

Core Insights - Viking Therapeutics reported strong progress in its clinical pipeline, particularly with VK2735, which has shown promising results in obesity treatment [2][3][6] - The company announced a net loss of $90.8 million for Q3 2025, significantly higher than the $24.9 million loss in Q3 2024, primarily due to increased research and development expenses [11][14] - Viking's cash position remains robust at $715 million, providing sufficient resources for ongoing clinical trials and development programs [15] Clinical Pipeline Updates - VK2735, a dual agonist targeting GLP-1 and GIP receptors, achieved significant weight loss results in the Phase 2 VENTURE-Oral Dosing study, with reductions of up to 12.2% from baseline [2][6] - The Phase 3 VANQUISH trials for VK2735 are on schedule, with enrollment expected to complete by the end of 2025 for VANQUISH-1 and in Q1 2026 for VANQUISH-2 [3][5] - Viking is also advancing an oral formulation of VK2735, which has shown encouraging safety and efficacy in early studies, and plans to file an IND for its amylin agonist program in Q1 2026 [6][9][12] Financial Performance - Research and development expenses for Q3 2025 were $90 million, up from $22.8 million in Q3 2024, reflecting increased clinical study costs and regulatory services [8][12] - General and administrative expenses decreased to $8.6 million in Q3 2025 from $13.8 million in Q3 2024, mainly due to reduced legal and patent service costs [10] - For the nine months ended September 30, 2025, total operating expenses reached $228.6 million, compared to $104.7 million for the same period in 2024 [21] Upcoming Events and Presentations - Viking plans to present at several upcoming scientific conferences, including ObesityWeek and the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, to discuss its clinical programs and findings [9][18] - The company will host a conference call to discuss its Q3 2025 financial results, providing further insights into its operations and future plans [16]

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]