VK2735: What to Know About Viking's Weight Loss Drug
VK2735 is an investigational GLP-1/GIP drug from Viking Therapeutics, not FDA approved. In Phase 2, the injection cut body weight up to 14.7% and the pill up to 12.2% after 13 weeks; Phase 3 dosing runs into 2027 at the earliest by inference, and Viking has given no approval timeline.
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VK2735 is an experimental weight loss drug being developed by Viking Therapeutics, a San Diego biotech company traded on Nasdaq as VKTX. It is not approved by the FDA: Viking describes itself as a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, which indicates its drug candidates are still in testing rather than approved products on the market, and VK2735 is described as in development for the potential treatment of obesity [1]. The drug is a dual agonist, meaning it acts on two hormone receptors at once — GLP-1 and GIP — and it is being studied as both a once-weekly injection and a daily pill [1].
The results so far come from short studies. In a Phase 2 study, people taking the weekly injection lost up to 14.7% of their body weight after 13 weekly doses, and people taking the pill lost up to 12.2% after 13 weeks [1]. The injection is now in Phase 3 testing, which lasts 78 weeks per participant, so final results, an FDA filing, and any approval appear to be at least a year or more away — that is an inference from the stated timeline, not company guidance. The July 29, 2026 corporate update contains no launch, filing, or approval-date guidance [1].
What is VK2735 and who makes it?
VK2735 is a wholly owned drug candidate of Viking Therapeutics, described by the company as a long-acting dual agonist of the GLP-1 receptor and the GIP receptor, in development for the potential treatment of obesity and other metabolic disorders [1]. Viking is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company — a status that indicates its drug candidates are still in clinical testing rather than sold as approved products — and its CEO is Brian Lian, Ph.D. [1].
What makes VK2735 unusual is that the same active ingredient is being developed in two forms: a once-weekly subcutaneous injection and an oral tablet [1]. Viking says no other dual or triple agonist is currently available in both oral and injectable forms, and it positions the oral version as potentially the first oral dual GLP-1/GIP agonist to reach the market, compared with the oral GLP-1 mono-agonist products currently available [1].
How much weight did people lose in the Phase 2 injection study?
In the Phase 2 VENTURE study of subcutaneous VK2735 in adults with obesity, participants showed statistically significant mean body-weight reductions from baseline ranging up to 14.7% after 13 weekly doses, with no signs of a plateau at that point [1]. The company also reported that VK2735 was safe and well tolerated through 13 weeks of dosing, with the majority of treatment-emergent adverse events characterized as mild or moderate and resolving quickly [1].
These results were presented at the ObesityWeek conference in November 2025, and the final results were published in January 2026 in Obesity, the peer-reviewed journal of The Obesity Society [1].
Two things are worth keeping in mind. First, 13 weeks is short — VK2735’s own Phase 3 program runs 78 weeks, so the Phase 2 numbers do not show what happens over a longer treatment period [1]. Second, no head-to-head trial of VK2735 against semaglutide or tirzepatide has been reported in the available company statements, so there is no sourced basis for comparing the numbers directly.
What is the Phase 3 VANQUISH program testing?
VANQUISH is the Phase 3 registration program for the injectable version, initiated in June 2025 after Viking held Type C and end-of-Phase-2 meetings with the FDA [1]. It consists of two trials: one in adults with obesity and one in adults with obesity plus type 2 diabetes [1].
Each trial is randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, and multicenter, assessing the efficacy and safety of VK2735 given by subcutaneous injection once weekly for 78 weeks [1]. Participants are randomized to weekly doses of 7.5 mg, 12.5 mg, 17.5 mg, or placebo [1]. The primary endpoint is the percent change in body weight from baseline versus placebo after 78 weeks, and secondary and exploratory endpoints include the percentage of patients achieving at least 5%, 10%, 15%, or 20% weight loss [1]. Each study also includes an extension portion that lets participants keep receiving treatment after the main 78-week period, including those who were initially randomized to placebo [1].
Enrollment moved quickly. VANQUISH-1 enrolled approximately 4,500 patients by November 2025, about five months after the program started, and VANQUISH-2 completed enrollment in the first quarter of 2026 with approximately 1,000 patients [1]. As of the July 29, 2026 corporate update, both trials were fully enrolled and proceeding according to plan [1].
On ClinicalTrials.gov, one registry record for a VK2735 Phase 3 weight-management study is listed under NCT07104500 [2]. Readers may also see the number NCT07104383 cited in connection with the program; it is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov, but the record page provided shows no identifying study details, so what that specific record covers cannot be confirmed from that page [3].
How well did the oral VK2735 tablet work?
The pill form also produced positive Phase 2 results. In the VENTURE-oral dosing study (registered on ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT06828055), participants taking the once-daily tablet showed statistically significant mean weight reductions from baseline ranging up to 12.2% after 13 weeks [1][5]. Statistically significant differences compared with both baseline and placebo were seen for all doses above 15 mg, starting at Week 1 and continuing through the full 13-week treatment period [1].
Up to 80% of subjects in VK2735 treatment groups achieved at least 10% weight loss after 13 weeks, compared with only 5% of placebo-treated subjects [1]. An earlier Phase 1 study of the oral formulation showed dose-dependent mean weight reductions up to 8.2% after 28 daily doses [1].
On tolerability, the vast majority of drug-related treatment-emergent adverse events in the oral study were mild or moderate, and in the dose range Viking plans to explore in future studies, the company believes the results showed no meaningful difference in gastrointestinal adverse events between VK2735 and placebo [1].
Viking expects to begin Phase 3 testing of the oral formulation in the fourth quarter of 2026 [1]. The company suggests that having both a tablet and an injection with the same active ingredient may suit people who prefer to start with an oral therapy or to maintain weight loss achieved on an injectable — though this is company positioning, not a proven clinical strategy [1].
What is the maintenance dosing study?
Viking is also running a maintenance dosing study that explores regimens including monthly and every-other-week dosing [1]. The stated purpose is to help identify and optimize the individualized, long-term care often needed to achieve and sustain a healthy weight [1]. As of the July 29, 2026 update, Viking expected to report the results of this study later that quarter, meaning in the third quarter of 2026 [1].
When could VK2735 actually be available?
No date has been set, and the July 29, 2026 corporate update contains no launch, filing, or approval-date guidance [1]. What can be said from the company’s own timeline: the injectable Phase 3 program began in June 2025, each participant is treated for 78 weeks, and both trials were fully enrolled as of July 29, 2026 [1]. By inference from those dates — not from any company statement — the primary treatment periods would extend into 2027 at the earliest before data could even be analyzed. The oral Phase 3 trial had not yet started as of July 2026, with initiation expected in the fourth quarter of 2026 [1].
Any estimate of an approval year would be an inference, not company guidance. After Phase 3 data, a company still has to submit an application and go through FDA review before approval. Nothing in the available information states when that would happen for VK2735 [1].
Can I buy VK2735 online or get a compounded version?
No. VK2735 is investigational — not FDA approved — and Viking is a clinical-stage company, which indicates none of its drugs are being sold as approved products, so there is no prescription version to buy and no pharmacy product to fill [1]. Because the drug’s only stated path forward is through clinical development, the only route to receive it would be a clinical trial — an inference from its investigational status, not a company statement.
The FDA has laid out serious concerns about unapproved versions of GLP-1 drugs generally. Unapproved versions do not undergo FDA review for safety, effectiveness, and quality before they are marketed [6]. The FDA’s advice is to get a prescription from a doctor, fill it at a state-licensed pharmacy, and use its BeSafeRx resources when buying medicine online [6].
The agency’s warnings are grounded in real problems. Retatrutide and cagrilintide cannot be used in compounding under federal law, are not components of FDA-approved drugs, and have not been found safe and effective for any condition; the FDA has issued warning letters to telehealth companies marketing unapproved retatrutide, to API distributors selling it, and to outsourcing facilities repackaging it [6].
The FDA has also received multiple adverse-event reports, some requiring hospitalization, tied to dosing errors with compounded injectable semaglutide, and reports of adverse events from doses beyond the approved labeling — larger doses, more frequent dosing, or faster titration — including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and constipation [6]. As of May 31, 2026, the FDA had received 990 adverse-event reports for compounded semaglutide and more than 730 for compounded tirzepatide [6].
Other FDA flags worth knowing: an import alert (66-80) exists to stop GLP-1 active ingredients with potential quality concerns from entering the US supply chain; the FDA is aware of counterfeit Ozempic in the US supply chain and of fraudulent compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide with false label information, including labels naming pharmacies that do not exist [6]. For multi-dose vials, the FDA recommends discarding within 28 days of first use and using a new sterile needle and syringe for each dose [6].
Telehealth red flags the FDA lists include claims that a compounded drug is the same as an FDA-approved drug, deep discounts, no prescriber screening, and spelling errors on the label [6].
How do I join a VK2735 clinical trial?
The two Phase 3 injection trials (VANQUISH-1 and VANQUISH-2) were fully enrolled as of July 29, 2026, so they are not currently taking new participants [1]. The next enrollment opportunity is expected to come with the oral Phase 3 trial, which Viking expects to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026 [1].
The registry records to watch on ClinicalTrials.gov include NCT07104500, listed as a VK2735 Phase 3 weight-management study [2], and NCT06828055, listed as the VK2735 Phase 2 Venture Oral Dosing study [5]. Readers may also see the numbers NCT07104383 and NCT06068946 cited in connection with VK2735; both are registered on ClinicalTrials.gov, but the record pages provided for them show no identifying study details, so what each covers cannot be confirmed from those pages [3][4]. On ClinicalTrials.gov, enrollment refers to the number of participants in a study, and each record carries a recruitment-status field, so checking the records directly is the reliable way to see whether a study is accepting participants [2].
What else is Viking Therapeutics working on?
Viking reported a quarter-end cash position of $502 million as of June 30, 2026 [1]. Beyond VK2735, the company initiated a Phase 1 trial of VK3019, an investigational amylin receptor agonist, in the second quarter of 2026, and appointed Hubert Chen, M.D., as chief medical officer during that quarter [1]. Its other listed pipeline programs are VK2809, VK0214, and VK5211 [1].
| VK2735 formulation | Study phase | Best reported result | Timeframe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly injection | Phase 2 (VENTURE) | Up to 14.7% mean weight loss [1] | After 13 weekly doses |
| Weekly injection | Phase 3 (VANQUISH) | Results not yet reported [1] | 78-week dosing period |
| Daily tablet | Phase 1 | Up to 8.2% mean weight loss [1] | After 28 daily doses |
| Daily tablet | Phase 2 (VENTURE-oral) | Up to 12.2% mean weight loss; up to 80% of subjects lost ≥10% vs. 5% on placebo [1] | After 13 weeks |
| Daily tablet | Phase 3 | Not yet started; expected 4Q 2026 [1] | — |
Sources
- Viking Therapeutics. Viking Therapeutics Reports Second Quarter 2026 Financial Results and Provides Corporate Update. July 29, 2026.
- ClinicalTrials.gov. VK2735 for Weight Management Phase 3 (Study NCT07104500).
- ClinicalTrials.gov. Study record NCT07104383.
- ClinicalTrials.gov. Study record NCT06068946.
- ClinicalTrials.gov. VK2735 for Weight Management Phase 2 (Venture Oral Dosing) (Study NCT06828055).
- US Food and Drug Administration. FDA’s Concerns with Unapproved GLP-1 Drugs Used for Weight Loss.
Frequently asked questions
Is VK2735 FDA approved yet?
No. VK2735 is an investigational drug, described by Viking as in development for the potential treatment of obesity and other metabolic disorders. Viking calls itself a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, which indicates its drugs are still in testing rather than approved and marketed.
How much weight did people lose on the VK2735 injection versus the pill?
In Phase 2, the once-weekly injection produced mean weight reductions up to 14.7% after 13 weekly doses, while the once-daily tablet produced reductions up to 12.2% after 13 weeks. Up to 80% of oral-study subjects lost at least 10% of body weight versus 5% on placebo.
Is VK2735 the same as tirzepatide (Mounjaro or Zepbound)?
No. VK2735 is Viking's own investigational molecule, described by the company as a dual agonist of the GLP-1 and GIP receptors. No head-to-head trial of VK2735 against tirzepatide or semaglutide has been reported in the available company statements, so the results cannot be compared directly.
When will VK2735 Phase 3 results come out?
No date has been given. The VANQUISH injection trials treat participants for 78 weeks and were fully enrolled as of July 29, 2026, so — by inference, not company guidance — data collection runs into 2027 at the earliest. The July 29, 2026 corporate update contains no results, filing, or approval timing.
Can I buy VK2735 online or get a compounded version?
No. VK2735 is investigational and not FDA approved, and Viking is a clinical-stage company, indicating no approved product exists to prescribe or fill; the only route to receive it would be a clinical trial, an inference from its investigational status. The FDA warns that unapproved GLP-1 drugs do not undergo its review for safety, effectiveness, or quality.
Are the "research use only" VK2735 vials sold online legitimate?
There is no legitimate consumer supply in the United States. VK2735 is not FDA approved and Viking is a clinical-stage company, so no VK2735 product is lawfully sold. The FDA has documented counterfeit and fraudulent compounded GLP-1 products, including labels naming pharmacies that do not exist, and hundreds of adverse-event reports tied to compounded versions.
How do I join a VK2735 clinical trial?
Both Phase 3 injection trials were fully enrolled as of July 29, 2026. The next opportunity is the oral Phase 3 trial, expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026. On ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT07104500 is listed as a VK2735 Phase 3 weight-management study and NCT06828055 as the Phase 2 oral study; the record pages provided for NCT07104383 and NCT06068946 show no identifying study details.
What doses are being tested in VANQUISH?
Participants in each VANQUISH Phase 3 trial are randomized to once-weekly subcutaneous doses of 7.5 mg, 12.5 mg, 17.5 mg, or placebo for 78 weeks. These are study arms only — no VK2735 dose is available outside a trial.
This article summarizes FDA labeling, published research and company information current as of September 14, 2026. It is not medical advice and does not replace a conversation with your own healthcare provider. How we research and verify.