Viking Drug Delivers Weight Loss, Liver Benefits and Plasma Lipid Reduction
Viking Therapeutics (Nasdaq: VKTX) has presented new data from a Phase 1 clinical trial of its GLP-1 drug VK2735 at ObesityWeek 2023. In the study, the drug elicited weight loss of up to 7.8% from baseline as well as significant liver fat, plasma lipid reductions following 28 days of treatment.
Viking is currently conducting a Phase 2 trial to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and weight loss efficacy of VK2735 in adults who are obese or overweight with at least one weight-related comorbid condition.
Highlights
VK2735 is a novel dual agonist of the glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptors in development for the potential treatment of various metabolic disorders such as obesity.
Following 28 days of once-weekly treatment with VK2735, subjects experienced reductions in liver fat ranging up to 47.2% from baseline.
Dose dependent reductions from baseline in plasma lipid levels were observed across VK2735 treatment cohorts after four weekly doses.
VK2735 was well-tolerated and showed positive signs of clinical activity.
About Viking Therapeutics
Viking Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel first-in-class or best-in-class therapies for the treatment of metabolic and endocrine disorders, with three compounds currently in clinical trials. Viking’s research and development activities leverage its expertise in metabolism to develop innovative therapeutics designed to improve patients’ lives. The company’s clinical programs include VK2809, a novel, orally available, small molecule selective thyroid hormone receptor beta agonist for the treatment of lipid and metabolic disorders, which is currently being evaluated in a Phase 2b study for the treatment of biopsy-confirmed non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and fibrosis. In a Phase 2a trial for the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and elevated LDL-C, patients who received VK2809 demonstrated statistically significant reductions in LDL-C and liver fat content compared with patients who received placebo. The company is also developing VK2735, a novel dual agonist of the glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptors for the potential treatment of various metabolic disorders. Data from a Phase 1 trial evaluating VK2735 (dosed subcutaneously) for metabolic disorders demonstrated an encouraging safety and tolerability profile as well as positive signs of clinical benefit. The company also recently initiated a Phase 1 study to evaluate an oral formulation of VK2735. In the rare disease space, the company is developing VK0214, a novel, orally available, small molecule selective thyroid hormone receptor beta agonist for the potential treatment of X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD). VK0214 is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1b clinical trial in patients with the adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN) form of X-ALD. The company holds exclusive worldwide rights to a portfolio of five therapeutic programs, including VK2809 and VK0214, which are based on small molecules licensed from Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated.
