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VENTURE Analysis Finds 74% of Participants Receiving Subcutaneous VK2735 Improved by at Least One BMI Category after 13 Weeks
VK2735 Treatment Led to Improvement Across Multiple Cardiometabolic Markers
SAN DIEGO, Nov. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (Viking) (NASDAQ: VKTX), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel therapies for metabolic and endocrine disorders, today announced that new clinical data from the company's VK2735 obesity program were highlighted in two poster presentations at The Obesity Society's Annual Meeting, ObesityWeek®, taking place from November 14–17, 2026, in Washington, D.C. VK2735 is a dual agonist of the glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptors that Viking is developing in subcutaneous and oral formulations for the potential treatment of various metabolic disorders, including obesity.
Viking presented results from an exploratory analysis of data from its Phase 2 VENTURE clinical trial of VK2735, dosed as a weekly subcutaneous injection, in a poster session on Sunday. The analysis examines changes in obesity severity and cardiometabolic parameters after 13 weeks of treatment. Data from the analysis showed that 74% of participants receiving weekly subcutaneous VK2735 improved by at least one body mass index (BMI) category, compared with 15% of those receiving placebo. None of the VK2735-treated participants experienced an increase in BMI category. Among VK2735-treated participants, those who improved by at least one BMI category had greater reductions in waist circumference, fasting insulin and glucose, blood pressure, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL-C than those whose BMI category did not change.
Shifts in BMI category from baseline to Week 13 Among VK2735 Treated vs. Placebo
| VK2735 combined | Placebo | |
| Participants with Class III obesity at baseline1 | n=35 | n=15 |
| Percent transitioning to Class II | 57 % | 13 % |
| Percent transitioning to Class I | 11 % | 0 % |
| Percent with no change in obesity Class | 31 % | 87 % |
| Participants with Class II obesity at baseline | n=51 | n=10 |
| Percent transitioning to Class I | 80 % | 20 % |
| Percent transitioning to Overweight | 2 % | 0 % |
| Percent with no change in obesity Class | 18 % | 80 % |
| Participants with Class I obesity at baseline | n=46 | n=8 |
| Percent transitioning to Overweight | 65 % | 12 % |
| Percent transitioning to Normal weight | 9 % | 0 % |
| Percent with no change in obesity Class | 26 % | 75%2 |
| Participants with Overweight at baseline | n=8 | n=1 |
| Percent transitioning to normal weight | 50 % | 0 % |
| Notes: 1) Class definitions as follows. Class III = BMI ≥ 40; Class II = BMI ≥ 35 – 39.9; Class I = BMI ≥ 30 – 34.9; Overweight = BMI ≥ 25 – 29.9; Normal weight = BMI ≥ 20 – 24.9. 2) 12% of placebo participants transitioned from Class I to Class II. |
Reduction in Cardiometabolic Markers with SC VK2735 Treatment
| Baseline | Change among participants with ≥1 BMI Category Improvement | Change among participants with No Change in BMI Category | |
| (N=124) | (N=89) | (N=35) | |
| Hemoglobin A1C (%) | 5.49 (0.36) | -0.34 (0.25) | -0.25 (0.17) |
| Glucose (mg/dL) | 99.8 (8.77) | -12.4 (9.69) | -10.1 (8.56) |
| Triglycerides (mg/dL) | 122.1 (62.16) | -20.1 (56.76) | -2.2 (52.40) |
| Waist Circumference (cm) | 112.7 (11.34) | -10.1 (5.90) | -7.7 (4.24) |
| Systolic Blood Pressure (mmHg) | 124.5 (14.53) | -9.0 (12.26) | -6.0 (13.47) |
| Diastolic Blood Pressure (mmHg) | 80.1 (8.69) | -4.2 (8.27) | -2.8 (8.97) |
| LDL Cholesterol (mg/dL) | 116.7 (33.12) | -12.3 (27.61) | -6.9 (23.45) |
| Notes: Values expressed as Mean (standard deviation). Analyses based on observed values at baseline and Week 13. |
These findings were presented at ObesityWeek by Harold Bays, MD, MFOMA, FTOS, FACC, FNLA, FASPC, DABOM, Medical Director and President, Louisville Metabolic and Atherosclerosis Research Center, in a poster presentation entitled "Impact of SC VK2735 on Obesity Severity and Cardiometabolic Parameters in the VENTURE Study."
"This important new analysis demonstrates further evidence of VK2735's potential benefits, supporting our belief that weight loss from treatment with VK2735 may improve overall cardiometabolic health," said Brian Lian, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Viking Therapeutics. "Nearly three-quarters of participants treated with VK2735 in the VENTURE trial improved their BMI category and treated cohorts showed improvements in key cardiometabolic measures, including blood pressure, lipids, glucose, and waist circumference, after 13 weeks. These findings reinforce the breadth of benefits derived from improvement in obesity severity following treatment with VK2735."
As previously reported by Viking, patients receiving weekly subcutaneous doses of VK2735 in the VENTURE Phase 2 study demonstrated statistically significant reductions in mean body weight after 13 weeks, ranging up to 14.7% from baseline. All doses showed statistically significant differences compared with both baseline and placebo from Week One through the end of 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. In addition, up to 88% of patients in VK2735 treatment groups achieved ≥10% weight loss, compared with 4% for placebo. 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 (TEAEs) being categorized as mild or moderate.
A second ObesityWeek poster presentation highlighted baseline characteristics of participants enrolled in the ongoing Phase 3 VANQUISH-2 study evaluating subcutaneous VK2735 in adults with overweight or obesity and type 2 diabetes. These baseline data indicate the VANQUISH-2 randomized population is representative of the adult U.S. population with BMI ≥ 27 kg/m2 and Type 2 diabetes. This presentation, titled "VANQUISH-2 SC VK2735 Study in Adults With Overweight and Type 2 Diabetes: Baseline Characteristics," was presented by Jamy Ard, MD, FTOS, Vice Dean for Clinical Research, Professor of Epidemiology and Prevention, Wake Forest University School of Medicine.
The VANQUISH program was initiated in June 2025 and consists of two clinical trials: VANQUISH-1 in adults with obesity and VANQUISH-2 in adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes. Each study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial designed to assess the efficacy and safety of VK2735 administered by subcutaneous injection once weekly for 78 weeks. The primary endpoint of the VANQUISH trials is the percent change in body weight from baseline for participants receiving VK2735 as compared to placebo after 78 weeks of treatment. Secondary and exploratory endpoints will evaluate a range of additional safety and efficacy measures, including the percentage of patients who achieve at least 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% weight loss. Each study will include an extension portion that allows participants to continue treatment after completing the primary dosing period, including patients randomized to placebo for the initial 78-week treatment period. The VANQUISH studies are expected to be completed in 2027.
Copies of these poster presentations are available in the Publications section of Viking's website at www.vikingtherapeutics.com/pipeline/publications/.
About GLP-1 and Dual GLP-1/GIP Agonists
Activation of the glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor has been shown to decrease glucose, reduce appetite, lower body weight, and improve insulin sensitivity in patients with type 2 diabetes, obesity, or both. Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist that has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is currently marketed in various dosage strengths and forms as Ozempic®, Rybelsus®, and Wegovy®. More recently, research efforts have explored the potential co-activation of the glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP) receptor as a means of enhancing the therapeutic benefits of GLP-1 receptor activation. Tirzepatide is a dual GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist that has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is currently marketed in various dosage strengths and forms as Mounjaro® and Zepbound®.
About Viking Therapeutics, Inc.
Viking Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company advancing a next-generation portfolio of therapies for obesity and metabolic disease. Guided by deep expertise in metabolic biology and rigorous science, Viking is developing innovative treatments to help people achieve meaningful, lasting health improvements by treating obesity first. The company's lead program, VK2735, is a dual glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor agonist in development in both subcutaneous and oral formulations for obesity. VK2735 is currently being evaluated in Phase 3 clinical studies for obesity, along with maintenance dosing strategies designed to support long-term weight management. Viking is also advancing additional obesity programs, including VK3019, an amylin receptor agonist, VK2809, an orally available thyroid hormone receptor beta agonist for metabolic and liver disease, and VK0214 for the rare genetic disorder X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD).
For more information about Viking Therapeutics, please visit www.vikingtherapeutics.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding Viking Therapeutics, Inc., under the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements about Viking's expectations regarding its clinical and preclinical development programs, anticipated timing for reporting clinical data and cash resources. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely and reported results should not be considered as an indication of future performance. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: risks associated with the success, cost and timing of Viking's product candidate development activities and clinical trials, including those for VK2735, VK0214, VK2809, and the company's other incretin receptor agonists; risks that prior clinical and preclinical results may not be replicated; risks regarding regulatory requirements; and other risks that are described in Viking's most recent periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Viking's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, including the risk factors set forth in those filings. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. Viking disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements except as required by law.