Viking Therapeutics starts oral VK2735 maintenance dosing trial

Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: VKTX) has initiated Part 2 of an exploratory maintenance dosing study for VK2735, its dual GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist, according to a company statement.

The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial will enroll approximately 195 adults with obesity, defined as a body mass index of 30 kg/m² or higher. Participants will first receive weekly subcutaneous doses of VK2735 or placebo for 21 weeks. After that period, they will transition to one of several maintenance regimens: daily oral doses, weekly oral doses, monthly subcutaneous doses, every-other-week subcutaneous doses, or placebo. The study will run through Week 33, with exploratory endpoints measuring changes in body weight from baseline and from Week 21.

Part 2 follows Part 1 of the same maintenance study, initiated in 2025, which evaluated subcutaneous dosing regimens only. Viking said positive top-line results from Part 1 were recently announced. Results from Part 2 are expected in 2027.

"We look forward to reporting the results from Part 2 of this study in 2027," said Brian Lian, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Viking.

The primary study objectives are to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetic profile of VK2735 across the various dosing regimens tested.

Separately, Viking is conducting two Phase 3 trials, VANQUISH-1 and VANQUISH-2, evaluating weekly subcutaneous VK2735 over 78 weeks. VANQUISH-1 is fully enrolled with approximately 4,500 adults without type 2 diabetes who have obesity or are overweight with at least one weight-related comorbidity. VANQUISH-2 is fully enrolled with approximately 1,000 adults with type 2 diabetes who have obesity or are overweight. Both trials test four treatment arms: VK2735 at 7.5 mg, 12.5 mg, and 17.5 mg, and placebo.

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