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shares of Viking Therapeutics closed Tuesday up greater than 120% after the corporate’s experimental efficiency weight loss medicine Has proven Initial results promising In mid-stage testing.
Viking Therapeutics is one among a number of small weight problems drug makers hoping to enter the The budding weight loss drug industry Analysts say it might develop into a $100 billion market by the tip of the last decade.
But it might not be concerned in that sector by itself: analysts have recommended that giant pharmaceutical corporations reminiscent of fizzR, which canceled two of its weight-loss medication final 12 months, might doubtlessly accomplice with or be acquired by an organization like Viking Therapeutics. Tuesday’s inventory transfer offers Viking Therapeutics a market worth of about $8.5 billion.
The trial tracked greater than 170 overweight or chubby sufferers, a few of whom got completely different dose sizes of the injected drug or a placebo.
In those that obtained weekly doses of the remedy, their physique weight decreased by 14.7% from baseline, or 13.1% when adjusted for placebo, after 13 weeks.
88% of sufferers who obtained the drug, referred to as VK2735, misplaced at the very least 10% of their weight, in contrast with solely 4% of sufferers who didn’t obtain the remedy.
Notably, there was no proof of weight reduction at week 13 for any dose of the drug, suggesting that sufferers might stay on remedy long-term, Viking CEO Brian Lien mentioned throughout a name with buyers. By maintaining “extra weight could be misplaced”. ,
The drug demonstrated “encouraging” security in sufferers after a 13-week trial interval. The sufferers additionally appeared to tolerate the drug nicely.
About 4% of sufferers who obtained any dose of the remedy stopped the examine early, in contrast with about 6% of these within the placebo group.
Most hostile occasions skilled by sufferers after beginning the drug – also referred to as treatment-emergent hostile occasions – had been delicate or reasonable in severity. Many of these occasions had been gastrointestinal-related, which is usually seen in all weight reduction and diabetes remedies.
These embody nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation.
Viking plans to current full Phase 2 information at medical conferences. The firm additionally mentioned it plans to satisfy with the Food and Drug Administration to debate subsequent steps for the event of VK2735.
Separately, the corporate mentioned it anticipated to launch early-stage trial information on an oral model of its weight-loss drug.
Viking Therapeutics’ drug targets GLP-1 and one other hormone referred to as GIP. These are the identical hormones that Eli Lilly’s Weight loss and diabetes drugs, Zepbound and Monjaro, Target.
Deutsche Bank analysts mentioned in a be aware Tuesday that new information from Viking Therapeutics suggests the marketplace for the weight-loss drug might finally exceed the “monopoly” of Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, probably the most sought-after remedy. Let’s construct.
But analysts mentioned “manufacturing the remedy at scale to satisfy excessive demand has confirmed no simple feat”, giving Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly a “defensive moat”.
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