Viking Therapeutics - Viking Therapeutics' stock has declined by 37% this year due to disappointing phase 2 results for its oral GLP-1 weight loss candidate, VK2735, with 20% of participants dropping out due to adverse side effects, primarily gastrointestinal issues [4][5] - Despite the setback, Wall Street analysts remain bullish, with an average price target of $88.78, suggesting a potential upside of 245% from current levels [2] - The phase 2 study showed an average weight loss of 12.2% at the highest dose after 13 weeks, with no weight-loss plateau observed, indicating strong efficacy compared to competitors [6][7] - Viking has a promising pipeline, including a subcutaneous version of VK2735 in phase 3 studies and another candidate, VK2809, for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, expected to advance to phase 3 soon [8][9] Regeneron Pharmaceuticals - Regeneron Pharmaceuticals has faced competition from biosimilars for its Eylea medication, but the newly approved high-dose formulation is helping mitigate losses [10] - The company's revenue increased by 4% year over year to $3.68 billion, driven by strong performance from eczema treatment Dupixent, which saw a 22% increase in worldwide sales to $4.34 billion [11] - Regeneron is expected to earn label expansions for Eylea HD in the U.S. and has recently received approval for Lynozyfic, a new cancer medicine [12] - The company has a robust pipeline, including trevogrumab for muscle loss in patients using GLP-1 weight management medicines and a gene therapy for a type of genetic deafness [13] - Despite current stock declines, Regeneron is positioned to deliver superior long-term returns to patient investors [14]

Core Viewpoint - Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (REGN) has underperformed the medical sector and S&P 500 Index, with shares down 22.6% year to date, while the industry has grown by 0.6% [1][2]. Sales Performance - The decline in sales of the lead drug Eylea has significantly impacted the company's top-line growth, as Eylea accounts for a majority of REGN's sales [1][5]. - Eylea's sales have faced pressure due to competition from Roche's Vabysmo, which has seen strong uptake, and the emergence of biosimilars [4][9]. Pipeline Developments - Regeneron is attempting to diversify its revenue and develop its oncology franchise, but recent pipeline setbacks have negatively affected investor sentiment [3][9]. - The FDA accepted a supplemental biologics license application (sBLA) for Eylea HD, with a target action date of August 19, 2025, but a complete response letter (CRL) was issued for the pre-filled syringe of Eylea HD due to issues with a third-party supplier [6][7]. Dupixent and Oncology Focus - Dupixent has been a strong contributor to REGN's top line, with ongoing label expansions and solid sales trends [12][14]. - The oncology franchise includes Libtayo and odronextamab, with recent approvals and ongoing efforts to strengthen this segment, although there have been setbacks in the U.S. approval process for odronextamab [15][18][17]. New Ventures - Regeneron is exploring the obesity market through a licensing agreement for an obesity drug with Hansoh Pharmaceuticals, aiming to expand its clinical-stage obesity portfolio [19][20]. Valuation and Estimates - REGN shares are currently trading at a price/earnings ratio of 18.27X forward earnings, slightly below its historical mean but above the large-cap pharma industry's average of 15.04X [21]. - The bottom-line estimate for 2025 has decreased by $0.57 to $36.15 over the past 60 days, indicating a downward trend in earnings expectations [23].

Core Insights - The market is anticipating significant business development (BD) transactions at the upcoming ADA (American Diabetes Association) conference in late June 2025, particularly in the obesity treatment sector [9][11] - Regeneron and Hansoh Pharmaceutical have announced a major licensing deal for Hansoh's GLP-1/GIP dual receptor agonist HS-20094, indicating a strategic shift towards high-quality weight loss solutions [1][2] Group 1: Company Developments - Regeneron has committed to enhancing obesity treatment quality, focusing on sustainable weight loss and muscle preservation, as highlighted by their management during the Q1 2025 earnings call [2][3] - The licensing agreement for HS-20094 includes an upfront payment of $80 million and potential milestone payments totaling up to $1.93 billion, emphasizing the financial stakes involved in this partnership [1] - HS-20094 has shown promising results in Phase II trials, demonstrating significant weight loss comparable to existing treatments while currently undergoing Phase III and Phase IIb trials in China [1][3] Group 2: Industry Trends - The obesity treatment industry is transitioning from a focus on mere weight loss to a more nuanced approach that emphasizes fat loss without muscle loss, termed "weight loss 2.0" [4][5] - There is a growing emphasis on developing "muscle-friendly" weight loss drugs that not only reduce fat but also preserve or enhance muscle mass, addressing a significant unmet need in the market [4][6] - Multiple pharmaceutical companies are exploring various pathways to achieve muscle preservation during weight loss, with several candidates currently in development [5][7] Group 3: Future Outlook - The ADA 2025 conference is expected to showcase important research findings in weight management, potentially catalyzing further collaborations and transactions in the industry [9][10] - The trend of "conference-driven transactions" is anticipated to continue, with the ADA conference serving as a pivotal moment for innovation in obesity treatments [10][11] - The expansion of high-quality weight loss medications could broaden the market's reach, appealing to diverse patient populations, including the elderly and those with sarcopenic obesity [8][7]

Core Insights - Regeneron Pharmaceuticals announced interim results from the Phase 2 COURAGE trial, showing that approximately 35% of weight loss from semaglutide was due to lean mass loss, and combining it with trevogrumab helped preserve lean mass while increasing fat loss [1][2][3] Group 1: Trial Results - The COURAGE trial demonstrated that combining semaglutide with trevogrumab, with or without garetosmab, preserved 50%-80% of lean mass compared to semaglutide alone while enhancing fat mass loss [1][2] - At the 26-week interim analysis, patients receiving semaglutide alone lost an average of 7.9 lbs of lean mass, while those on the lower-dose and higher-dose combinations lost 3.7 lbs and 4.2 lbs respectively, and the triplet group lost only 2.0 lbs [3][4] - Fat mass loss was significantly higher in combination groups, with the triplet group losing an average of 25.4 lbs, representing an 84.4% change from baseline [3][4] Group 2: Safety and Tolerability - The combination therapies were generally well-tolerated, but the triplet combination had a higher rate of treatment discontinuation due to tolerability issues, with 28.3% of participants discontinuing treatment [1][6] - The overall incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) was 64.9% for semaglutide monotherapy, increasing to 77.2% in the triplet group [6] Group 3: Future Directions - The full data set from the COURAGE trial is expected to be available later this year, which will provide further insights for optimizing dosing regimens in future trials [2] - Regeneron is focused on developing treatments that improve the quality of weight loss by preserving muscle mass during weight reduction, addressing a significant concern in obesity management [7][8]