Viking Therapeutics’ VK2735 obesity program shows efficacy in new presentations

Viking Therapeutics (VKTX) announced that new clinical data from the company’s VK2735 obesity program were highlighted in a poster presentation at ObesityWeek 2025. VK2735 is a dual agonist of GLP-1 and GIP receptors being developed for the potential treatment of various metabolic disorders. Results of an exploratory analysis of data from the company’s Phase 2 VENTURE clinical trial of VK2735 dosed as a weekly subcutaneous injection evaluated the impact of VK2735 treatment on the prevalence of prediabetes and metabolic syndrome following the 13-week study. Treatment with VK2735 was shown to improve cardiometabolic parameters in patients, including reductions in the prevalence of prediabetes and MetS at the end of the 13-week treatment period. 78% of VK2735-treated patients who were characterized as prediabetic at baseline had successfully shifted to normal glycemic status at Week 13, vs. 29% for placebo patients. Similarly, 68% of VK2735-treated patients who met the criteria for MetS at baseline were no longer considered to have the syndrome at Week 13 vs. 38% for placebo patients. A second ObesityWeek presentation highlighted the design of Viking’s ongoing Phase 3 VANQUISH-1 study of subcutaneous VK2735 in patients with obesity or who are overweight with at least one weight-related co-morbid condition. Patients receiving weekly doses of VK2735 in the VENTURE study demonstrated statistically significant reductions in mean body weight after 13 weeks, ranging up to 14.7% from baseline. Statistically significant differences compared to both baseline and placebo were observed for all doses starting at Week One and continuing throughout the 13-week treatment period. Reductions in body weight were progressive through the course of the study, with no plateau observed for weight loss at 13 weeks. The VENTURE study showed VK2735 treatment to have encouraging safety and tolerability following the 13-week treatment period with the majority – 92% – of drug related treatment emergent adverse events being categorized as mild or moderate.