Viking's VK2735 Phase 2 results published, showing up to 14.7% weight loss at 13 weeks

Final results from a mid-stage trial of Viking Therapeutics' experimental obesity drug VK2735 were published in January 2026 in Obesity, the peer-reviewed journal of The Obesity Society, the company said in a July 29, 2026 corporate update ^[2].

The Phase 2 VENTURE trial tested VK2735 — a long-acting dual agonist of the GLP-1 and GIP receptors given as a weekly injection under the skin — in adults with obesity ^[2]. Participants who received the drug lost an average of up to 14.7% of their body weight from baseline after 13 weekly doses, with no signs of a plateau in weight loss over that period ^[2]. Top-line results had been presented at the ObesityWeek conference in November 2025 ^[2].

VK2735 was reported to be safe and well tolerated through 13 weeks of dosing, with the majority of treatment-emergent adverse events described as mild or moderate and resolving quickly ^[2]. The update did not include a breakdown of specific side effects by type or dose ^[2].

Where the drug stands in testing

Viking has moved VK2735 into Phase 3. The VANQUISH program includes two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials: one in adults with obesity and one in adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes ^[2]. Each trial gives weekly injections for 78 weeks, with participants assigned to 7.5 mg, 12.5 mg, 17.5 mg or placebo ^[2]. The main measure is percent change in body weight compared with placebo at 78 weeks; secondary measures include the share of patients who lose at least 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% of their body weight ^[2].

Enrollment was fast. VANQUISH-1 enrolled about 4,500 patients by November 2025, roughly five months after the program began, and VANQUISH-2 finished enrolling about 1,000 patients in the first quarter of 2026 ^[2]. Both studies are fully enrolled and continuing, and each includes an extension period open to participants who received placebo during the first 78 weeks ^[2]. The VK2735 program is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov under NCT06068946 ^[1]. Results from the Phase 3 trials have not been reported.

An oral tablet version of VK2735 is also in development. In the Phase 2 VENTURE-oral study, once-daily doses produced average weight loss of up to 12.2% after 13 weeks, and up to 80% of treated participants lost at least 10% of their body weight, compared with 5% of those on placebo ^[2]. Viking said it believes there was no meaningful difference in gastrointestinal side effects between drug and placebo in the dose range it plans to study further ^[2]. A Phase 3 trial of the oral version is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026 ^[2].

A Phase 1 study of maintenance dosing, exploring less frequent schedules such as monthly and every-other-week injections, is ongoing, with results expected in the third quarter of 2026 ^[2]. Viking reported $502 million in cash at the end of the second quarter ^[2].

Why it matters for patients

VK2735 is investigational and has not been approved by the FDA for any use, so it is not available outside a clinical trial ^[2]. The published weight-loss figure comes from a 13-week Phase 2 study, not the 78-week trials regulators typically require, and side effect data beyond 13 weeks have not been reported ^[2].

How VK2735 compares with currently approved obesity medicines has not been reported. Viking's update describes its own trial results and does not present head-to-head comparisons ^[2].

The two formulations matter for a practical reason. Viking says having both a tablet and an injection of the same active ingredient may appeal to people who prefer to start with an oral therapy or who want to maintain weight already lost on an injectable, and that using the same drug across forms may reduce the risk of unexpected side effects compared with switching between different medicines ^[2]. That is the company's position, not an established finding.

What happens next

• Third quarter of 2026: Results expected from the Phase 1 maintenance dosing study of VK2735 ^[2].
• Fourth quarter of 2026: Viking expects to begin Phase 3 testing of oral VK2735 ^[2].
• Not yet dated: Results from the Phase 3 VANQUISH-1 and VANQUISH-2 trials, which use 78-week treatment periods and are fully enrolled ^[2]. Viking has not disclosed when those data will be available ^[2].