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Viking Therapeutics Rides the Obesity Drug Wave Higher

MarketDash Editorial Team
3 days ago
Viking Therapeutics shares surged Thursday as investors pile into obesity treatment developers. The biotech's Phase 3 trial enrollment beat expectations, and the broader GLP-1 market boom is lifting smaller players alongside giants like Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk.

Viking Therapeutics Inc. (VKTX) shares jumped Thursday, and the pattern should look familiar to anyone watching the obesity drug space. When the giants sneeze, the smaller players catch momentum—and right now, the entire sector is on fire.

The clinical-stage biotech has been volatile lately, but it's catching a bid from two forces: its own strong trial results and the relentless investor appetite for anything touching GLP-1 obesity treatments.

Why Viking Is Moving

Late November brought good news that's still resonating. Viking wrapped up patient enrollment for its Phase 3 VANQUISH-1 trial testing subcutaneous VK2735—and did it ahead of schedule. That's the kind of surprise investors like. The company pulled in nearly 4,650 adults who were either obese or overweight with at least one weight-related health condition, beating their enrollment target.

CEO Brian Lian called the rapid enrollment proof of "enthusiasm for new obesity treatments beyond those currently available." Translation: there's real demand for alternatives to what's already on the market, and Viking might have one.

The Bigger Picture: A $150 Billion Feeding Frenzy

Viking isn't moving in a vacuum. The obesity drug market is experiencing a genuine boom, with healthcare ETFs quietly riding the wave. Eli Lilly (LLY) and Novo Nordisk (NVO) are duking it out for GLP-1 market dominance, and investors are piling into both the leaders and the emerging players. Eli Lilly shares are up roughly 36% over the past three months alone.

Eli Lilly just reported third-quarter adjusted earnings of $7.02 per share, beating expectations and prompting the company to raise its full-year outlook. Meanwhile, Novo Nordisk threw down a $6.5 billion counterbid for U.S. biotech Metsera, whose weight-loss research includes a longer-interval injection option.

That's the kind of competition that signals serious money is chasing serious opportunities. And when the big players make moves like that, investors start scanning for the next Viking Therapeutics—companies that might get acquired, partner up, or simply capture market share in what's shaping up to be a massive market.

What the Charts Say

Viking is showing solid short-term strength. The stock is trading 6.4% above its 20-day simple moving average and 31.5% above its 200-day SMA, indicating a bullish trend. It recently broke above resistance at $39.50, which is worth watching.

The RSI sits at 49.80—neutral territory—meaning the stock isn't overbought or oversold right now. The MACD is below the signal line, so traders should keep an eye on key levels: support at $34.00 and resistance at $39.50.

Here's where it gets interesting. Over three months, VKTX has surged 53.61%, reflecting serious upward momentum. But zoom out to 12 months and you see a 23.61% decline. That tells you Viking has been through volatility and is potentially recovering from a rougher period. The stock is closer to its 52-week highs than its lows right now, which signals strength but also means traders should watch for pullbacks if momentum stalls.

Conference Season

Viking is currently at the Piper Sandler 37th Annual Healthcare Conference in New York City, which wrapped up Thursday. Company executives participated in a fireside chat expected to update investors on clinical developments. These events matter because they're where biotech companies signal what's coming next and where institutional money often gets more interested—or less.

Viking Therapeutics shares were up 11.17% at $35.29 at the time of publication Thursday, according to MarketDash data.

Back to News

Viking Therapeutics Rides the Obesity Drug Wave Higher

MarketDash Editorial Team
3 days ago
Viking Therapeutics shares surged Thursday as investors pile into obesity treatment developers. The biotech's Phase 3 trial enrollment beat expectations, and the broader GLP-1 market boom is lifting smaller players alongside giants like Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk.

Viking Therapeutics Inc. (VKTX) shares jumped Thursday, and the pattern should look familiar to anyone watching the obesity drug space. When the giants sneeze, the smaller players catch momentum—and right now, the entire sector is on fire.

The clinical-stage biotech has been volatile lately, but it's catching a bid from two forces: its own strong trial results and the relentless investor appetite for anything touching GLP-1 obesity treatments.

Why Viking Is Moving

Late November brought good news that's still resonating. Viking wrapped up patient enrollment for its Phase 3 VANQUISH-1 trial testing subcutaneous VK2735—and did it ahead of schedule. That's the kind of surprise investors like. The company pulled in nearly 4,650 adults who were either obese or overweight with at least one weight-related health condition, beating their enrollment target.

CEO Brian Lian called the rapid enrollment proof of "enthusiasm for new obesity treatments beyond those currently available." Translation: there's real demand for alternatives to what's already on the market, and Viking might have one.

The Bigger Picture: A $150 Billion Feeding Frenzy

Viking isn't moving in a vacuum. The obesity drug market is experiencing a genuine boom, with healthcare ETFs quietly riding the wave. Eli Lilly (LLY) and Novo Nordisk (NVO) are duking it out for GLP-1 market dominance, and investors are piling into both the leaders and the emerging players. Eli Lilly shares are up roughly 36% over the past three months alone.

Eli Lilly just reported third-quarter adjusted earnings of $7.02 per share, beating expectations and prompting the company to raise its full-year outlook. Meanwhile, Novo Nordisk threw down a $6.5 billion counterbid for U.S. biotech Metsera, whose weight-loss research includes a longer-interval injection option.

That's the kind of competition that signals serious money is chasing serious opportunities. And when the big players make moves like that, investors start scanning for the next Viking Therapeutics—companies that might get acquired, partner up, or simply capture market share in what's shaping up to be a massive market.

What the Charts Say

Viking is showing solid short-term strength. The stock is trading 6.4% above its 20-day simple moving average and 31.5% above its 200-day SMA, indicating a bullish trend. It recently broke above resistance at $39.50, which is worth watching.

The RSI sits at 49.80—neutral territory—meaning the stock isn't overbought or oversold right now. The MACD is below the signal line, so traders should keep an eye on key levels: support at $34.00 and resistance at $39.50.

Here's where it gets interesting. Over three months, VKTX has surged 53.61%, reflecting serious upward momentum. But zoom out to 12 months and you see a 23.61% decline. That tells you Viking has been through volatility and is potentially recovering from a rougher period. The stock is closer to its 52-week highs than its lows right now, which signals strength but also means traders should watch for pullbacks if momentum stalls.

Conference Season

Viking is currently at the Piper Sandler 37th Annual Healthcare Conference in New York City, which wrapped up Thursday. Company executives participated in a fireside chat expected to update investors on clinical developments. These events matter because they're where biotech companies signal what's coming next and where institutional money often gets more interested—or less.

Viking Therapeutics shares were up 11.17% at $35.29 at the time of publication Thursday, according to MarketDash data.