Oral VK2735 Shows Up to 12.2% Weight Loss in 13 Weeks, Strengthening Viking’s Obesity Pipeline

The obesity drug race is entering a new phase. While injectable GLP-1 therapies continue to dominate the market, companies are now pushing aggressively toward oral alternatives that can deliver comparable efficacy with greater convenience.

At the 2026 European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Istanbul, Viking Therapeutics presented new Phase 2 data showing that its oral obesity candidate VK2735 delivered up to 12.2% mean weight loss in just 13 weeks.

The results position VK2735 as one of the more closely watched oral dual GLP-1/GIP agonists currently in development.

Oral VK2735 Delivered Early and Progressive Weight Loss

According to data from the Phase 2 VENTURE-Oral study, patients receiving once-daily oral VK2735 achieved statistically significant and dose-dependent weight loss across all treatment cohorts. The highest dose cohort (120 mg) demonstrated:

• Mean weight loss of 12.2% from baseline
• Average reduction of 12.1 kg (26.6 lbs)
• Up to 80% of patients achieving at least 10% weight loss
• Continued downward weight-loss trajectory through Week 13 without a plateau

Notably, weight reduction began as early as Week 1 for doses above 15 mg and continued progressively throughout the study period.

Why the “No Plateau” Observation Matters?

One of the most important takeaways from the ECO presentation was the absence of a weight-loss plateau during the 13-week treatment window.

Many obesity therapies show slowing efficacy over time as patients approach a stabilization phase. VK2735, however, continued demonstrating progressive reductions in body weight across all active dose levels.

Lead investigator Parke Joseph Hedges noted that the continued trajectory suggests the potential for additional weight reduction with longer-duration therapy.

This could become a key differentiator if future studies maintain similar trends over extended treatment periods.

Dose-Dependent Weight Loss Across Cohorts

The study evaluated six treatment groups, including placebo and escalating VK2735 dose levels.

Mean Percent Weight Change After 13 Weeks

The data demonstrated a clear dose-response relationship, with efficacy increasing alongside higher dosing levels.

At the 120 mg dose:

• 97% of participants achieved at least 5% weight loss
• 80% achieved at least 10% weight loss

By comparison, placebo participants achieved 5% and 10% weight loss at rates of only 10% and 5%, respectively.

Safety and Tolerability Profile Remained Manageable

Viking reported that oral VK2735 was generally well tolerated throughout the study.

Among VK2735-treated participants:

• 98% of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were mild or moderate
• Gastrointestinal side effects were the most common events observed
• GI-related symptoms typically appeared early and subsided over time

The company also highlighted that progressive dose escalation helped improve tolerability.

Patients in higher-dose cohorts were gradually titrated upward in 30 mg increments, allowing rapid advancement to therapeutic doses while maintaining manageable side effects.

Study Population Reflected Real-World Obesity Patients

The Phase 2 VENTURE-Oral trial enrolled 280 adults with obesity or overweight conditions accompanied by weight-related comorbidities.

Key baseline characteristics included:

• Average BMI of 37
• Average age of 51 years
• 54% prevalence of pre-diabetes
• Broad gender representation across cohorts

These demographics closely resemble real-world obesity populations typically encountered in clinical practice.

Viking Plans to Launch Oral Phase 3 Trials Later This Year

Chief Executive Officer Brian Lian stated that the Phase 2 findings will guide the design of upcoming Phase 3 registration studies for the oral tablet formulation.

Viking believes VK2735 could potentially become the first oral dual GLP-1/GIP agonist to reach the market.

The company is simultaneously advancing:

• Oral VK2735 in obesity
• Subcutaneous VK2735 in the Phase 3 VANQUISH program
• Additional metabolic disease candidates including VK2809 and DACRA programs

A second poster presented at ECO 2026 also highlighted baseline enrollment characteristics for the ongoing Phase 3 VANQUISH-1 study evaluating subcutaneous VK2735 in adults with obesity.

The Bigger Picture: Competition in the Oral Obesity Drug Market

The obesity therapeutics market is rapidly evolving beyond injectable therapies.

Current market leaders include:

• Novo Nordisk with semaglutide-based products such as Wegovy and Ozempic
• Eli Lilly with tirzepatide-based therapies like Zepbound and Mounjaro

However, most highly effective therapies still require injection.

If VK2735 can reproduce strong efficacy in Phase 3 while maintaining tolerability, Viking could gain a strategic advantage by offering both injectable and oral formulations built on the same active therapeutic mechanism.

That flexibility may improve long-term patient adherence and expand accessibility for patients hesitant to begin injectable treatment.

Conclusion

The latest Phase 2 data from oral VK2735 adds further momentum to Viking Therapeutics’ obesity pipeline.

With up to 12.2% weight loss in 13 weeks, continued efficacy without plateau, and a manageable tolerability profile, the oral formulation is emerging as a serious contender in the next generation of obesity treatments.

The upcoming Phase 3 program will now determine whether VK2735 can translate these early-stage results into a commercially competitive therapy in one of biotech’s fastest-growing markets.

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