Viking Therapeutics Stock Surges 36% Following Weight Loss Drug Study Results

Aditya Raghunath4 minute read
Reviewed by: David Hanson
Last updated Sep 23, 2026

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Key Stats for Viking Therapeutics Stock

  • Price change for Viking Therapeutics stock Today: 36%
  • $VKTX Stock Price as of Sep. 22: $41
  • 52-Week High: $43
  • $VKTX Stock Price Target: $92

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What Happened?

Viking Therapeutics (VKTX) stock jumped more than 35% on Tuesday after the company released new data on its obesity drug, VK2735.

The results showed something important: patients kept most of their weight loss even when they took the drug less often.

VK2735 works by targeting two receptors, GLP-1 and GIP, that help control appetite.

In the study, patients took the drug weekly for 21 weeks. They lost between 16% and 19% of their body weight. Patients on placebo lost almost nothing, close to 0%.

One smaller group stayed on a 17.5mg weekly dose for 33 weeks. They reached 22% weight loss compared to placebo, and the results were still improving with no sign of leveling off.

After the first 21 weeks, patients switched to less frequent dosing. Some moved to every other week, others to once a month, for 12 more weeks.

The every-other-week group held onto up to 97% of the weight loss from the earlier phase. The placebo group only held onto 61%.

The monthly group did almost as well, keeping up to 90% of their weight loss, again compared to 61% for placebo.

Stomach-related side effects stayed about the same for the drug group and the placebo group during this maintenance phase.

That is a meaningful result, since less frequent dosing did not appear to make side effects worse.

VKTX Stock Revenue, EBIT and Free Cash Flow Estimates in Billion USD (TIKR)

CEO Brian Lian said the data show real potential for extended dosing schedules after initial weight loss treatment.

He said more flexible dosing could help patients stick with treatment longer and keep the weight off.

Viking is developing VK2735 in both injectable and oral forms for obesity and other metabolic conditions.

The company said it now plans to test oral maintenance dosing in the next part of the trial. No timeline was given for further studies or regulatory filings.

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What the Market Is Telling Us About Viking Therapeutics Stock

The market’s reaction shows just how much investors value durability, not just initial results.

Viking Therapeutics stock didn’t move on weight loss numbers alone. It moved because patients kept the weight off even with fewer doses.

This matters a lot in the weight loss drug space. Many patients stop taking these drugs over time because of cost or the burden of frequent dosing.

A drug that works well with monthly dosing could be easier for patients to stick with long term.

VKTX Stock Street Target (TIKR)

For now, Viking Therapeutics stock reflects strong investor confidence in VK2735’s maintenance profile.

The next catalyst to watch is the oral maintenance dosing data, which could shape how Viking Therapeutics stock trades in the months ahead.

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Disclaimer:

Please note that the articles on TIKR are not intended to serve as investment or financial advice from TIKR or our content team, nor are they recommendations to buy or sell any stocks. We create our content based on TIKR Terminal’s investment data and analysts’ estimates. Our analysis might not include recent company news or important updates. TIKR has no position in any stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading, and happy investing!

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