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How Oral Obesity Trials At Viking Therapeutics (VKTX) Has Changed Its Investment Story

Simply Wall St·10/28/2026 06:15:24
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  • Viking Therapeutics recently began the SUNRISE Phase 3 program for oral VK2735 in obesity and type 2 diabetes, following earlier Phase 2 data that met efficacy and safety endpoints over 13 weeks.
  • The move into two 68 week, 560 patient oral studies, alongside existing long duration injectable trials, indicates a larger cost and execution load that directly ties to Viking Therapeutics' path from zero revenue and current losses toward any eventual commercial obesity franchise.
  • The focus now turns to how Viking Therapeutics' investment narrative could evolve as oral VK2735 enters the SUNRISE Phase 3 obesity program.
Capture the obesity treatment momentum around Viking Therapeutics and scan a curated 34 healthcare AI stocks that could also be shaping the future of metabolic and chronic disease care.

Viking Therapeutics Investment Narrative Recap

To own Viking Therapeutics, you need to believe a single asset, VK2735 in injectable and oral forms, can turn a zero revenue, loss making biotech into a commercial obesity player. The near term story hinges on keeping VANQUISH and SUNRISE trials on track while funding heavy research and commercial build out from a finite cash pile.

The upcoming Q3 2026 earnings release and call on 28 October matter mainly for cash runway, spending cadence and any color on trial timelines. Unless guidance changes those, the Phase 3 execution and regulatory outcomes remain the key catalyst, and clinical or safety setbacks remain the biggest immediate risk.

The launch of the SUNRISE Phase 3 program for oral VK2735 is the announcement that directly reshapes the setup. It moves Viking Therapeutics from talking about an oral path in obesity and type 2 diabetes to actually running two long, 560 patient trials. This locks in higher trial spend and a more complex development plan.

That shift raises both the upside case and the operational bar. There are now three large VK2735 paths running in parallel: oral SUNRISE plus injectable VANQUISH studies. Success could broaden how the future franchise looks, while weak tolerability, slower recruitment or cash pressure could turn those same programs into the main source of execution risk.

Viking Therapeutics Forecasts Anchored In 2029 Targets

Viking Therapeutics' narrative projects US$118.5 million revenue and US$12.9 million earnings by 2029. This implies yearly revenue growth from effectively zero and an earnings increase of about US$372.5 million from the current loss of US$359.6 million.

Uncover why Viking Therapeutics' fair value indicates a 273% potential upside to its current price that could narrow quickly.

NasdaqCM:VKTX 1-Year Stock Price Chart
NasdaqCM:VKTX 1-Year Stock Price Chart

Exploring Other Perspectives

Some of the most optimistic analysts lean hard into the cash story. They highlight Viking Therapeutics ending 2025 with US$706 million on hand and frame that as enough fuel to chase their higher 2029 targets of US$497.5 million revenue and US$62.2 million earnings. Those views were set before SUNRISE and the upcoming Q3 2026 call, so you may want to compare them with more cautious forecasts and decide which scenario aligns more closely with your own expectations.

Explore 4 other Viking Therapeutics fair value estimates, including one that suggests as much as 402% upside from the current price!

The Verdict Is Yours

Don't just follow the ticker; dig into the data and build a conviction that's truly your own.

  • A great starting point for your Viking Therapeutics research is our analysis highlighting 4 important warning signs that could impact your investment decision.
  • See our latest analysis for Viking Therapeutics. The report includes a comprehensive fundamental analysis summarized in a single visual, the Snowflake, making it easy to evaluate Viking Therapeutics' overall financial health at a glance.

Looking For More Ideas Beyond Viking Therapeutics?

Once you have a view on Viking Therapeutics, it can help to widen the lens and compare it with other companies that match different risk and quality profiles using the Simply Wall St Screener.