Biotech
Tuesday, February 27th, 2024 4:16 pm EDT
Key Points
- Viking Therapeutics saw a significant surge in its shares, jumping over 90% after promising initial results from its experimental weight loss drug in a mid-stage trial.
- The company is part of a group of small obesity drugmakers aiming to enter the burgeoning weight loss drug industry, projected to reach $100 billion by the decade’s end. Analysts suggest that larger pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer may consider acquiring firms like Viking Therapeutics.
- The trial, involving over 170 patients, demonstrated substantial weight loss results, with participants receiving weekly doses of the treatment experiencing up to a 14.7% reduction in body weight after 13 weeks. The drug, VK2735, also showed promising safety profiles, with mild to moderate adverse events reported, primarily gastrointestinal. Viking plans to present full Phase 2 data and engage with the FDA for further development discussions. Additionally, the company expects to release early-stage trial data on an oral version of its weight loss drug, targeting GLP-1 and GIP hormones, potentially expanding the market beyond the current duopoly of Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly. However, scaling manufacturing to meet demand remains a significant challenge for industry players.
Shares of Viking Therapeutics surged more than 90% following promising initial results from its experimental weight loss drug in a mid-stage trial. As part of a burgeoning weight loss drug industry projected to reach $100 billion by the decade’s end, Viking Therapeutics has attracted attention, with analysts speculating about potential acquisition by larger pharmaceutical firms like Pfizer. The trial involved over 170 patients, with those receiving weekly doses of the drug, VK2735, experiencing weight loss of up to 14.7% from baseline after 13 weeks, with encouraging safety profiles noted. Notably, up to 88% of patients receiving the drug achieved at least a 10% weight loss. Mild to moderate treatment-emergent adverse events, primarily gastrointestinal, were reported, aligning with common experiences in weight loss and diabetes treatments. Viking plans to present full Phase 2 data at medical conferences and meet with the FDA to discuss next steps for VK2735’s development. Additionally, the company anticipates releasing early-stage trial data on an oral version of the weight loss drug, targeting GLP-1 and GIP hormones, similar to Eli Lilly’s Zepbound and Mounjaro. While the new data suggests a potential expansion beyond the duopoly of Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly in the weight loss drug market, challenges in scaling manufacturing to meet demand present obstacles.
For the full original article on CNBC, please click here: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/27/viking-therapeutics-weight-loss-drug-shows-promising-trial-results.html
