Viking Therapeutics Shares Surge Over 10% After Competitor’s Obesity Drug Miss
Viking Therapeutics shares jumped 10.9% after Novo Nordisk’s Phase 3 REDEFINE 4 trial showed CagriSema produced 20.2% weight loss versus 23.6% for tirzepatide in 809 patients over 84 weeks. Viking’s oral VK2735 obesity candidate is set to enter Phase 3 in Q3 2026, offering both injectable and oral formulations.
1. REDEFINE 4 Trial Results
The REDEFINE 4 Phase 3 trial enrolled 809 subjects over 84 weeks, comparing CagriSema’s fixed-dose cagrilintide 2.4 mg/semaglutide 2.4 mg against tirzepatide 15 mg. CagriSema achieved 20.2% mean weight loss versus 23.6% for tirzepatide, prompting a 16% drop in the rival’s shares and a 10.9% gain for Viking shares.
2. Oral VK2735 Phase 3 Plans
Viking plans to initiate Phase 3 trials for VK2735, its oral GLP-1/GIP dual agonist, in the third quarter of 2026. This strategy complements its injectable pipeline and positions the company to compete with market leaders by offering both delivery formats.
3. Technical and Analyst Perspective
The stock’s move above its 20-day SMA indicates short-term momentum, while neutral RSI at 40.6 and bearish MACD suggest mixed signals; the consensus Buy rating features an average price target of $92.44, with high forecasts to $107 and $106 and a low of $75.