Eli Lilly's Stock Unaffected by Viking Therapeutics' Strong Clinical Results
Viking Therapeutics recently reported impressive clinical results for its weight-loss drug candidate, VK2735. In a trial involving approximately 180 patients, participants lost between 16% and 19% of their body weight over 21 weeks with the subcutaneous formulation. Patients who switched to maintenance dosing retained up to 97% of their weight loss when taking VK2735 every other week or monthly for an additional 12 weeks, compared to only 61% in the placebo group. Despite these promising results and Viking's potential as a future competitor in the anti-obesity market, Eli Lilly’s stock barely moved. This is because Viking’s trial was more of a proof-of-concept rather than a late-stage pivotal study. Additionally, Eli Lilly already has its own maintenance strategy for patients who have lost weight using Zepbound or Wegovy, including an oral medication called Foundayo and lower-dose versions of existing drugs. Eli Lilly remains the dominant player in the market with strong clinical data supporting its long-term strategies to retain patient progress. Viking will need further trials before it can pose a significant threat.
Topics: clinical trial Eli Lilly Viking Therapeutics weight loss drugs