#6 - Viking Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VKTX)
The Russell 2000 is home to many small-cap biopharmaceutical companies. Many of these, like Viking Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: VKTX) are still in the clinical stage—meaning the companies don’t have drugs that are commercially available. However, as risk-tolerant investors will tell you, picking the winners among these companies is when you can reap the biggest gains.
And that may be the case with Viking. Its lead candidate, VK2809, is in Phase 2b trials for NASH. But what truly turned heads in late 2024 was Viking’s promising GLP-1 drug, which the company is developing in both injectable and oral forms—a potential game-changer in the weight-loss drug market.
VKTX stock is down 66% year-over-year as investors grow impatient with the clinical trial timeline. Still, for those with a long-term view, the upside from a successful GLP-1 approval could be significant.
About Viking Therapeutics
Viking Therapeutics, Inc, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, focuses on the development of novel therapies for metabolic and endocrine disorders. The company's lead drug candidate is VK2809, an orally available tissue and receptor-subtype selective agonist of the thyroid hormone receptor beta (TRß), which is in Phase IIb clinical trials to treat patients with biopsy-confirmed non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, as well as NAFLD.
More about Viking Therapeutics- Current Price
- $26.98
- Consensus Rating
- Buy
- Ratings Breakdown
- 12 Buy Ratings, 2 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
- Consensus Price Target
- $87.15 (223.0% Upside)
