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VK2735: what the trials show, status and safety

Status at a glance

MarketStatusDate
United StatesInvestigational—
European UnionNot approved—
GermanyNot approved—
United KingdomNot approved—
AustraliaNot approved—
CanadaNot approved—
SwitzerlandNot approved—
Development stage
Phase 3
Strongest evidence
Phase 2 randomised trial
WADA status
Prohibited (S0, 2026)
Last verified
2026-09-26
Version
1.0

This page lists no doses.

VK2735: what the trials show, status and safety

Summary

VK2735 is an experimental peptide that switches on two gut-hormone receptors at once, GLP-1 and GIP. In trials it is given as a weekly injection, and a daily tablet containing the same molecule is also being tested. In the only fully published trial, average weight fell by 9.1 to 14.7 per cent in 13 weeks, against 1.7 per cent on placebo. Nausea and vomiting were common, and the longest controlled data cover only 33 weeks. No country has approved it, and the two phase 3 trials are due to report in the second half of 2027.

Key findings at a glance

  • The only fully published trial ran for 13 weeks. In VENTURE, with 176 adults without diabetes, average weight fell by 9.1 to 14.7 per cent across four dose levels, against 1.7 per cent on placebo (p < 0.0001) [1].
  • A tablet with the same molecule has phase 2 results, but no journal paper. In 280 adults, average weight fell by up to 12.2 per cent in 13 weeks, against 1.3 per cent on placebo; the lowest level missed significance [2], [3].
  • Nausea and vomiting were common. Nausea reached 63 per cent in the highest VENTURE group, and 38 per cent of the highest tablet group stopped treatment [1], [2].
  • The newest data are company figures from a small trial. After a switch to less frequent injections, 85 to 90 per cent of the weight lost was still off at week 33, against 61 per cent on placebo [4].
  • It is approved nowhere. Seven markets were checked on 26 September 2026; phase 3 results are due in the second half of 2027 [5], [6].
  • It is banned in sport at all times as an unapproved substance, unlike semaglutide and tirzepatide, which are only monitored [7], [8].

What it is

VK2735 is an experimental peptide, a short chain of amino acids, that activates the receptors for GLP-1 and GIP, two gut hormones released after meals (incretins). A side chain attached to the peptide keeps it in the body for longer [1].

The American company Viking Therapeutics picked VK2735 from its own series of dual agonists and still owns it outright. It has no brand name and no international non-proprietary name [9], [6], [10].

Unusually for a phase 3 drug, no paper, annual report or substance register discloses its amino acid sequence [1], [11], [12].

Quick facts

FieldValueRef
NameVK2735, the developer's code; no international non-proprietary name found[10]
ClassDual GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonist[1]
StructurePeptide with a side chain that extends its half-life; the sequence is not published[1]
Formula and massNot published[11]
Half-lifeAbout 170 to 250 hours, roughly 7 to 10.4 days, after a single injection in phase 1[13]
Time to peak levelAbout 75 to 90 hours after a single injection[13]
Forms in trialsInjection under the skin, once weekly in most groups; a daily tablet with the same molecule[14], [15]
StatusNot approved in any market; phase 3[5]
DeveloperViking Therapeutics, San Diego, United States[9]
CAS registry numberNone verified; the number a chemicals trader lists belongs to a different peptide[16]
PubChem CIDNone[16]
UNIINone[11]
ChEMBLNone[12]
WikidataQ125102011, with no structure data[17]
ATC codeNone known; usually assigned only around approval—

VK2735: what the trials show, status and safety

How it works

VK2735 is meant to copy two of the body's meal signals in one long-lasting molecule.

  • The GLP-1 half. According to the developer, GLP-1 receptor agonists lower blood sugar, appetite and body weight and improve the response to insulin [9].
  • The GIP half. GIP is the second incretin hormone. What the GIP part adds in people has not been measured separately [1].
  • How firmly it binds. In laboratory tests VK2735 bound to the GLP-1 receptor with an IC50 of 188 nM and to the GIP receptor with 325 nM; a lower IC50, the concentration that occupies half the receptors, means tighter binding. Both values are unpublished company data [1].
  • Why it lasts so long. The side chain slows its removal: in phase 1, half had gone after about 170 to 250 hours, and the blood level peaked after 75 to 90 hours [1], [13].

VK2735 shares its receptor pair with tirzepatide and leaves the glucagon receptor alone, unlike retatrutide, survodutide and mazdutide [1].

What the trials found

Six trials are registered, all run by Viking: one in Australia, five in the United States and Puerto Rico. Only VENTURE is published in a journal [18], [19].

Weight with the weekly injection

Phase 2 RCT VENTURE randomised 176 adults with a body mass index of at least 30, or at least 27 with a weight-related illness, and no diabetes, at 20 American centres for 13 weeks. Everyone received advice on diet and exercise [1].

Phase 2 RCT Average weight fell by 9.1, 10.9, 12.9 and 14.7 per cent across the four dose levels, against 1.7 per cent on placebo. After subtracting the placebo effect, that is 7.43 to 13.08 percentage points (p < 0.0001 for every level) [1].

Average weight change after 13 weeks in VENTURE
Placebo
−1.7%
Lowest dose level
−9.1%
Second dose level
−10.9%
Third dose level
−12.9%
Highest dose level
−14.7%

Phase 2 trial, 174 analysed adults with obesity or overweight and without diabetes, weekly injection for 13 weeks. Least-squares means. Source [1].

Phase 2 RCT At least 10 per cent of body weight was lost by 40.1, 65.1, 70.4 and 89.1 per cent of the four dose groups, against 3.0 per cent on placebo. At least 15 per cent was reached by 12.8 to 41.5 per cent, against none on placebo; in the two lower groups, that difference was too small to rule out chance (p = 0.1163 and 0.1533) [1].

Phase 2 RCT The paper names its limits: 13 weeks is short, weight had not levelled off, and the trial was too small to compare dose levels; some authors are Viking employees [1]. In a subgroup of 75 people followed after the last injection, 94 per cent of the weight lost was still off four weeks later and 83 per cent after seven weeks [20].

Blood sugar and heart risk markers

Phase 2 RCT At the start of VENTURE, 74 participants on VK2735 had prediabetes (blood sugar above normal but below the diabetes range). By week 13, 58 of them (78 per cent) were back in the normal range, against 4 of 14 (29 per cent) on placebo (p = 0.0008). This was an exploratory analysis [1], [21].

Phase 2 RCT The metabolic syndrome, a cluster of raised blood pressure, blood sugar, blood fats and waist size, no longer applied to 68 against 38 per cent (p = 0.02). Among blood fats, only total cholesterol differed from placebo (p = 0.0396). Systolic blood pressure fell by 6.87 to 10.97 mmHg, against 4.20 mmHg on placebo [1], [21].

Weight with the daily tablet

Phase 2 (company data only) VENTURE-Oral tested a daily tablet in 280 adults without diabetes (average body mass index 37, average age 51). After 13 weeks, average weight fell by 2.3, 7.0, 8.7, 11.1 and 12.2 per cent across five dose levels, against 1.3 per cent on placebo [2], [3].

Phase 2 (company data only) After subtracting placebo, that is 1.0 to 10.9 percentage points. The lowest level was not statistically different from placebo; all higher levels were (p < 0.0001). At least 10 per cent was lost by 8, 35, 40, 59 and 80 per cent of the groups, against 5 per cent on placebo [2].

Phase 2 (company data only) An exploratory seventh group, whose level was lowered part-way through, lost 9.2 per cent. None of these figures has appeared in a peer-reviewed journal [2], [3].

Keeping weight off with fewer injections

Phase 1 (company data only) VK2735-102 enrolled about 180 adults with a body mass index of at least 30 and no weight-related illness. After 21 weeks of weekly injections, weight had fallen by 16.3 to 18.7 per cent across four target levels, against 0.1 per cent on placebo (p < 0.0001) [4], [22].

Phase 1 (company data only) Groups then switched for 12 weeks to injections every two weeks, monthly, or placebo, and at week 33 had kept 90, 85 and 61 per cent of the weight lost [4].

Share of lost weight still kept off at week 33
Switched to placebo
61%
Every two weeks
90%
Once a month
85%

Phase 1 maintenance study VK2735-102, part 1: 21 weeks of weekly injections, then 12 weeks on a less frequent schedule or placebo. Maintenance groups of 10 to 16 people, pooled by schedule; 27 people switched to placebo. Weight was an exploratory measure. Company data only. Source [4].

Phase 1 (company data only) Within the every-two-weeks arm, the individual groups kept 83, 90 and 97 per cent (combined p < 0.0001); the monthly groups kept 82 to 90 per cent (p between 0.0002 and 0.0024). One monthly group excluded an outlier; with that person it was 99 per cent [4].

Phase 1 (company data only) A group of 13 people who stayed on weekly injections was 21.7 per cent below its starting weight at week 33, against a gain of 0.3 per cent on placebo (p < 0.0001). Weight was not the main question of this study [4], [22].

Phase 1 (company data only) Caveats: the register entry appeared on 24 September 2026, two days after the results, with 270 planned participants against the company's 180 or so; early announcements described 19 weeks of weekly injections, the results 21 [23], [24], [15]. The slides call the losses of about 18 and up to 22 per cent "placebo-adjusted"; the press release gives them as change from starting weight, with no placebo-adjusted value for week 33 [4], [22].

The first human studies

Phase 1 (company data only) In the first study, adults with a body mass index of at least 30 received four weekly injections; after 28 days, weight was up to 7.8 per cent below baseline, or 6.0 per cent after subtracting placebo. Only the highest group reached significance (p = 0.0002); the three lower ones did not (p = 0.64, 0.17 and 0.09) [13]. Liver fat, measured by magnetic resonance imaging, fell by up to 47.2 per cent (p = 0.002), but by only 8.4 per cent in the highest dose group of four people (p = 0.62). This part had 41 participants [13], [25].

Phase 1 (company data only) The tablet was first tested for 28 days in groups of six to nine. In the highest group, weight fell by up to 8.2 per cent, or 6.8 per cent after subtracting placebo (p < 0.0001). At the lowest levels it ended 0.3 to 1.0 per cent higher than on placebo [26].

Animal studies

Animal data Before the first human study, Viking tested a series of its dual agonists in obese mice. Weight fell by up to 27 per cent in a 21-day study and 28 per cent in a 14-day study, against untreated animals; tirzepatide, the comparator in the second, reached 29 per cent. The compound tested was not named as VK2735 [27].

What is still unknown

  • Any phase 3 result. VANQUISH-1 and VANQUISH-2 are due to report in the second half of 2027 [6].
  • Longer-term effects. Published controlled data cover 13 weeks; the 33-week data are company figures [1], [4].
  • Type 2 diabetes. Published trials excluded it; VANQUISH-2 is running [28].
  • Heart and vessel outcomes. No cardiovascular outcome trial is registered [18].
  • Tablet absorption. Formulation and uptake into the blood are undisclosed [15].
  • Other populations. No data exist from outside the United States and Australia, or in children [18].

Side effects and safety

No regulator has reviewed VK2735. The data come from trials of at most 33 weeks and show a consistent pattern: stomach and bowel symptoms, mostly while the dose level is being raised [1].

  • Overall. In VENTURE, 71 to 91 per cent of the treated groups reported an adverse event, against 69 per cent on placebo [1].
  • Nausea and vomiting rose with dose level. Nausea affected 26, 46, 37 and 63 per cent of the four dose groups, against 20 per cent on placebo; vomiting 9 to 29 per cent, against none. Across all groups, drug-related nausea reached 36.6 per cent, constipation 21.1 and vomiting 12.6 [1].
  • Stopping because of side effects. In VENTURE, 3, 11, 11 and 20 per cent of the four dose groups stopped for that reason, against none on placebo: 16 of 175 people, or 9.1 per cent. Severe drug-related events affected 4.6 per cent [1].
  • The tablet trial. In the highest dose group 38 per cent stopped and two people (5 per cent) had severe nausea. Overall, 28 per cent stopped on VK2735 against 18 on placebo, 20 against 13 because of side effects; nausea affected 58 against 48 per cent, vomiting 26 against 10 [2].
  • The maintenance study. In the first 21 weeks, 13 per cent (22 of 166) stopped early, against none of 15 on placebo, and 27 per cent in the highest target group. Mild nausea affected 40 per cent, vomiting 27, diarrhoea 20 and constipation 11, against 7, 7, 20 and 7 on placebo [22].
  • After the switch to fewer injections. Adverse events affected 38 per cent (every two weeks) and 49 per cent (monthly), against 52 per cent on placebo; vomiting 3 and 8 against 7 per cent; stopping 3 and 5 per cent against none [4], [22].
  • Heart rate. In VENTURE the average pulse rose by 3.3 to 9.3 beats per minute, against 1.4 on placebo [1].
  • Serious events. In VENTURE, 8 of 175 people (4.6 per cent) had 12 serious events, including atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat (possibly related), and dehydration (probably related) in one person. A death from a head injury after a fall was judged unrelated [1].
  • Gallbladder. Two of 140 people on VK2735 in VENTURE had gallbladder inflammation or gallstones; in the first study, one person with earlier gallstones had a serious bile-duct blockage. No pancreatitis was reported [1], [13].
  • Antibodies. After 13 weeks, 9 to 23 per cent of the VENTURE dose groups had antibodies against VK2735, of unreported significance [1].

Known class risks of GLP-1 and GIP drugs include pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, dehydration with kidney damage and, in rodents, thyroid C-cell tumours; for VK2735 none has been confirmed or ruled out [14], [29].

The trials excluded people with chronic pancreatitis, a raised level of the thyroid marker calcitonin, or a GLP-1 drug in the previous six months. There are no data on pregnancy, breastfeeding, children, kidney or liver impairment, or drug interactions [14], [29], [30].

Why this page lists no doses

This page gives no amounts for VK2735 in any unit and no escalation or maintenance schedules. The substance is investigational, approved nowhere and has no lawful use outside a clinical trial; no authority has reviewed what amount a person tolerates [5]. A figure would also mislead: in the tablet trial the lowest level did not differ significantly from placebo, while 38 per cent stopped the highest [2].

The name does circulate: a chemicals trader lists VK2735 in PubChem under another peptide's CAS number. That proves the name is traded, not what such a product contains [16].

The American medicines agency does not name VK2735 on its page about unapproved GLP-1 drugs sold under a research label, nor do eight warning letters checked. That is no clearance: the page names five related substances and warns that such products are of unknown quality [31], [32].

The developer has contracted an outside manufacturer for the active substance, injections and tablets; anything sold elsewhere under the name has unverified identity, content and sterility [33].

Development and approval status

VK2735 is approved in no market. The weekly injection is in phase 3; phase 3 for the tablet is planned for the fourth quarter of 2026 [6], [5].

From a mouse study to phase 3

  1. 2021Animal data presentedA series of Viking dual agonists is tested in obese mice, ref [27]
  2. 2022First human studyThe start of phase 1 in Australia is announced in January, ref [9]
  3. 2023Phase 1 injection resultsHalf-life of 170 to 250 hours reported in March; VENTURE starts in September, refs [13], [14]
  4. 2024VENTURE topline and first tablet dataUp to 14.7 per cent weight loss in 13 weeks reported in February, refs [34], [26]
  5. 2025Phase 3 beginsVANQUISH-1 and -2 start in June; tablet phase 2 reports in August, refs [35], [2]
  6. 2026VENTURE published, maintenance dataJournal paper in January; maintenance topline on 22 September, refs [36], [4]
  7. 2027Phase 3 results expectedVANQUISH data announced for the second half of the year, ref [6]
  • 2021 — Viking presents mouse data on a series of its dual agonists [27].
  • 2022 — the first human study starts in Australia [9].
  • 2023 — phase 1 injection results in March; VENTURE starts in September [13], [14].
  • 2024 — VENTURE results in February, first tablet data in March [34], [26].
  • 2025 — phase 3 starts in June, tablet phase 2 results in August, the maintenance study in October [35], [2], [24].
  • 2026 — VENTURE published in January; maintenance results on 22 September [36], [4].

Phase 3 · VANQUISH-1 enrolled about 4,500 adults without type 2 diabetes who had obesity, or overweight with a related illness; the company had earlier given about 4,650. VANQUISH-2 enrolled about 1,000 adults with type 2 diabetes. Both run 78 weeks plus a 52-week extension and are due to finish around July 2027 [30], [28], [37], [38].

MarketStatusSince or note
United StatesUnapprovedInvestigational only
European UnionUnapprovedNo assessment report
GermanyUnapprovedNo trial sites
United KingdomUnapprovedNot listed
AustraliaUnapprovedNot scheduled
CanadaUnapprovedNo product entry
SwitzerlandUnapprovedNone found

Six entries rest on register queries of 26 September 2026, each with tirzepatide as a control that was found, so a blank means absence, not a broken query. The German entry follows from the European one, as this class is approved centrally [39], [40], [41], [42], [43], [44].

The developer has held end-of-phase-2 meetings with the American medicines agency for the injection and the tablet; a meeting is not an approval. No accelerated-development designation is recorded, and the annual report states that no drug candidate has yet obtained marketing approval [6], [5].

The wider legal picture is under are peptides legal and FDA-approved peptides.

Anti-doping

VK2735 is prohibited at all times, in and out of competition. It is not named on the 2026 list but falls under class S0, which covers any substance without current government approval and names drugs in clinical development as an example [7].

The approved drugs of its class differ: the 2026 monitoring programme lists only semaglutide and tirzepatide, which are watched, not banned. Approval could change VK2735's classification [8].

S0 substances count as specified substances, which affects the sanction, not the ban. The annex to the German anti-doping act lists neither VK2735 nor any GLP-1 or GIP agonist, so the ban applies under sports rules, not criminal law [7], [45].

The full picture is at peptides banned in sport.

Compared with related peptides

SubstanceReceptorsStatusStrongest published weight resultRef
VK2735GLP-1 and GIPPhase 3, approved nowhere14.7 per cent over 13 weeks, phase 2, highest dose level[1]
TirzepatideGIP and GLP-1Approved medicineSee its own page—
EnicepatideGIP and GLP-1International name proposedNot covered here[10]
RetatrutideGIP, GLP-1 and glucagonPhase 3, approved nowhereSee its own page—
SurvodutideGlucagon and GLP-1Phase 3, approved nowhereSee its own page—
SemaglutideGLP-1 onlyApproved medicineSee its own page—

VK2735 shares its receptor pair with tirzepatide, the first approved dual agonist. Other companies are developing drugs of this kind; enicepatide and brenipatide already carry international non-proprietary names ending in -patide, VK2735 has none [10].

Its figures are not directly comparable: the published VK2735 trial lasted 13 weeks, the approved drugs were judged on trials of more than a year, and no head-to-head trial exists [1], [18].

Its programme is unusual: one molecule tested as injection and tablet, plus a study of less frequent injections [15], [4].

Common misconceptions

  • "VK2735 is tirzepatide with a different side chain." The sequence is unpublished, and Viking's patents describe a class of dual agonists without naming VK2735; no primary source shows identity with tirzepatide [46], [47].
  • "VK2735 is a triple agonist like retatrutide." It activates GLP-1 and GIP receptors, not the glucagon receptor [1].
  • "The tablet is a different drug." According to the developer, tablet and injection contain the same peptide [15].
  • "CAS 94948-82-0 is the number for VK2735." That trader's number belongs to a growth-hormone-releasing factor from sheep and goats; VK2735 has no verified CAS number [16].
  • "Monthly injections cause almost no side effects." In the maintenance phase 38 to 49 per cent had adverse events (placebo 52 per cent); the 21 weeks before brought vomiting in 27 per cent and early stopping in 13 [4], [22].
  • "Like semaglutide, it is only monitored in sport." Only semaglutide and tirzepatide are monitored; unapproved VK2735 is banned outright [7], [8].
  • "VENTURE-2 is a second injection trial." The name appears on a 2026 poster for the tablet trial, VENTURE-Oral [3].

Frequently asked questions

What is VK2735?

An experimental peptide that activates two gut-hormone receptors at once, GLP-1 and GIP. The American company Viking Therapeutics is testing it as a weekly injection and as a daily tablet. Its exact structure has not been published, and no country has approved it.

How much weight did people lose with VK2735 in the trials?

In the published phase 2 trial VENTURE, 176 adults without diabetes were treated for 13 weeks. The trial reported an average weight change of 9.1 to 14.7 per cent across four dose levels, against 1.7 per cent on placebo. No longer controlled trial has been published.

Is VK2735 approved anywhere?

No. Register checks on 26 September 2026 found no approval in the United States, the European Union, Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada or Switzerland, and the developer's annual report confirms it.

What are the side effects of VK2735 in the trials?

Mostly stomach and bowel symptoms, more common at higher dose levels. In VENTURE, nausea affected up to 63 per cent of a dose group (placebo 20 per cent) and vomiting up to 29 per cent (placebo none). The pulse rose by 3.3 to 9.3 beats per minute, and 9 to 23 per cent formed antibodies against the drug.

How many people stopped taking VK2735?

It depended on the dose level. In VENTURE, 3 to 20 per cent of the dose groups stopped because of side effects, against none on placebo; in the tablet trial 38 per cent of the highest group stopped, in the maintenance study 13 per cent during the first 21 weeks.

What did the VK2735 maintenance study show?

After 21 weeks of weekly injections, people switched to injections every two weeks had kept 90 per cent of their weight loss at week 33, those on monthly injections 85 per cent and those on placebo 61 per cent. These are company figures from groups of 10 to 16 people.

Is the VK2735 tablet a different drug from the injection?

No. According to the developer, both contain the same peptide. How much of the tablet reaches the blood has not been disclosed, and its phase 2 results have not appeared in a peer-reviewed journal.

Is VK2735 the same as tirzepatide?

No primary source shows that. Both act on the GLP-1 and GIP receptors, but the VK2735 sequence is unpublished, and Viking's patents describe a class of such peptides without naming it. Claims that it is tirzepatide with another side chain are guesswork.

Is VK2735 banned in sport?

Yes, at all times, in and out of competition. It is not named on the 2026 prohibited list but falls under class S0, which covers substances with no current approval from a government health authority. Semaglutide and tirzepatide, by contrast, are approved and only monitored.

Is VK2735 sold online legally?

No. Outside the trials there is no lawful route to VK2735, and nothing sold under the name has a verified identity, content or sterility.

Sources

  1. Bays HE, Toth P, Alkhouri N, et al. (2026). Weekly Subcutaneous VK2735, a GIP/GLP-1 Receptor Dual Agonist, for Weight Management: Phase 2, Randomized, 13-Week VENTURE Study. Obesity (Silver Spring) 34(3):537-549. PMID 41508550. PMC12933218. DOI 10.1002/oby.70106.
  2. Viking Therapeutics. Announcement of 19 August 2025: top-line results from the phase 2 VENTURE-Oral Dosing trial, including discontinuation and side-effect rates. https://ir.vikingtherapeutics.com/2025-08-19-Viking-Therapeutics-Announces-Positive-Top-Line-Results-from-Phase-2-VENTURE-Oral-Dosing-Trial-of-VK2735-Tablet-Formulation-in-Patients-with-Obesity
  3. Viking Therapeutics. Announcement of 12 May 2026: VENTURE-Oral data presented at the European Congress on Obesity 2026 (posters PO4.260 and PO4.278). https://ir.vikingtherapeutics.com/2026-05-12-Viking-Therapeutics-Presents-Data-from-its-13-Week-Phase-2-VENTURE-Oral-Dosing-Trial-of-VK2735-at-European-Congress-on-Obesity-ECO-2026
  4. Viking Therapeutics. Announcement of 22 September 2026: top-line results from part 1 of the VK2735-102 maintenance study. https://ir.vikingtherapeutics.com/2026-09-22-Viking-Therapeutics-Announces-Positive-Topline-Results-from-Maintenance-Study-of-GLP-1-GIP-Agonist-VK2735-Demonstrating-the-Promise-of-Multiple-Maintenance-Dosing-Regimens
  5. Viking Therapeutics. Form 10-K for the fiscal year 2025, filed 11 February 2026, SEC EDGAR accession 0001193125-26-046876. States that the company has not yet obtained marketing approval for any drug candidate. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1607678/000119312526046876/vktx-20251231.htm
  6. Viking Therapeutics. Announcement of 29 July 2026: second-quarter 2026 results and corporate update, including meetings with the American medicines agency, the planned tablet phase 3 start and the expected timing of VANQUISH data. https://ir.vikingtherapeutics.com/2026-07-29-Viking-Therapeutics-Reports-Second-Quarter-2026-Financial-Results-and-Provides-Corporate-Update
  7. World Anti-Doping Agency. The 2026 Prohibited List, in force 1 January 2026. Class S0 read in full on 26 September 2026; no match for VK2735, and classes S2 and S4.4 checked individually. https://www.wada-ama.org/en/prohibited-list
  8. World Anti-Doping Agency. The 2026 Monitoring Program, item 6: markers of semaglutide and tirzepatide; VK2735 not listed. Retrieved 26 September 2026. https://www.wada-ama.org/sites/default/files/2025-09/2026_list_monitoring_program_en_final_clean_september_2025.pdf
  9. Viking Therapeutics. Announcement of 10 January 2022: initiation of the phase 1 trial of VK2735, selected from a series of internally developed dual GLP-1/GIP receptor agonists. https://ir.vikingtherapeutics.com/2022-01-10-Viking-Therapeutics-Announces-Initiation-of-Phase-1-Clinical-Trial-of-VK2735,-Companys-Lead-Dual-GLP-1-GIP-Receptor-Agonist
  10. World Health Organization. Proposed International Nonproprietary Names, lists 127 to 135, WHO Drug Information 2022 to 2026, searched in full text: no entry for VK2735; enicepatide on list 133 and brenipatide on list 134. https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/inn-pl-135
  11. FDA/NCATS Global Substance Registration System, search for VK2735 on 26 September 2026: no record, against a record for the control substance semaglutide. https://gsrs.ncats.nih.gov/ginas/app/api/v1/substances/search?q=VK2735
  12. ChEMBL, molecule search for VK2735 on 26 September 2026: no record. https://www.ebi.ac.uk/chembl/api/data/molecule/search.json?q=VK2735
  13. Viking Therapeutics. Announcement of 28 March 2023: results from the phase 1 trial of VK2735, including half-life of 170 to 250 hours and peak levels after 75 to 90 hours. https://ir.vikingtherapeutics.com/2023-03-28-Viking-Therapeutics-Announces-Results-from-Phase-1-Clinical-Trial-of-Dual-GLP-1-GIP-Receptor-Agonist-VK2735
  14. ClinicalTrials.gov, API v2, record NCT06068946 (VENTURE, VK2735-201), phase 2, including eligibility and exclusion criteria. Retrieved 26 September 2026. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06068946
  15. Viking Therapeutics. Announcement of 8 January 2026: completion of enrolment in the maintenance dosing trial; states that the same molecule is used in the injection and the tablet. https://ir.vikingtherapeutics.com/2026-01-08-Viking-Therapeutics-Announces-Completion-of-Enrollment-in-Maintenance-Dosing-Clinical-Trial-of-VK2735-in-Obesity
  16. PubChem, queried 26 September 2026: no compound record for VK2735; substance record SID 496148246 from a chemicals trader, giving CAS 94948-82-0, which PubChem assigns to CID 16157887, a 44-amino-acid growth-hormone-releasing factor from sheep and goats. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/substance/496148246
  17. Wikidata, item Q125102011, VK2735, experimental drug, without identifiers or structure data. Retrieved 26 September 2026. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q125102011
  18. ClinicalTrials.gov, API v2, search for the intervention VK2735 and the spellings VK-2735 and VK 2735, 26 September 2026: six trials, all sponsored by Viking Therapeutics, sites in the United States, Puerto Rico and Australia only. https://clinicaltrials.gov/api/v2/studies?query.intr=VK2735
  19. PubMed, search for VK2735 and its spelling variants on 26 September 2026: seven results, of which only PMID 41508550 reports trial data on VK2735. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=VK2735
  20. Viking Therapeutics. Announcement of 4 November 2024: new data from the VK2735 programme at ObesityWeek 2024 (posters 017 and 018), including weight after the last dose in a subgroup of 75. https://ir.vikingtherapeutics.com/2024-11-04-Viking-Therapeutics-Reports-New-Data-from-VK2735-Obesity-Program-at-ObesityWeek-R-2024
  21. Viking Therapeutics. Announcement of 6 November 2025: clinical data presented at ObesityWeek 2025 on prediabetes and the metabolic syndrome. https://ir.vikingtherapeutics.com/2025-11-06-Viking-Therapeutics-Highlights-Clinical-Data-from-VK2735-Obesity-Program-in-Presentation-at-ObesityWeek-R-2025
  22. Viking Therapeutics. VK2735-102 Maintenance Study: Topline Results, investor presentation of September 2026, 13 slides. https://filecache.investorroom.com/mr5ir_vikingtherapeutics/313/Maintenance%20Study%20Presentation.pdf
  23. ClinicalTrials.gov, API v2, record NCT07838740 (VK2735-102 maintenance study), first posted 24 September 2026; estimated enrolment 270 including a planned oral part 2. Retrieved 26 September 2026. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07838740
  24. Viking Therapeutics. Announcement of 21 October 2025: initiation of the VK2735 maintenance dosing trial. https://ir.vikingtherapeutics.com/2025-10-21-Viking-Therapeutics-Announces-Initiation-of-VK2735-Maintenance-Dosing-Clinical-Trial-in-Patients-with-Obesity
  25. Viking Therapeutics. Announcement of 17 October 2023: new phase 1 data on liver fat presented at ObesityWeek 2023. https://ir.vikingtherapeutics.com/2023-10-17-Viking-Therapeutics-Presents-New-Data-from-Phase-1-Clinical-Trial-of-Dual-GLP-1-GIP-Receptor-Agonist-VK2735-in-Oral-Presentation-at-ObesityWeek-2023
  26. Viking Therapeutics. Announcement of 26 March 2024: results from the 28-day phase 1 trial of the tablet formulation. https://ir.vikingtherapeutics.com/2024-03-26-Viking-Therapeutics-Announces-Results-from-Phase-1-Clinical-Trial-of-Oral-Tablet-Formulation-of-Dual-GLP-1-GIP-Receptor-Agonist-VK2735
  27. Viking Therapeutics. Announcement of 1 November 2021: preclinical data on novel dual GLP-1/GIP agonists presented at ObesityWeek 2021 (posters 206 and 207). https://ir.vikingtherapeutics.com/2021-11-01-Viking-Therapeutics-Presents-Preclinical-Data-on-Novel-Dual-GLP-1-GIP-Agonists-at-ObesityWeek-R-2021
  28. ClinicalTrials.gov, API v2, record NCT07104383 (VANQUISH-2, VK2735-302), phase 3 in type 2 diabetes, 78 weeks plus a 52-week extension. Retrieved 26 September 2026. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07104383
  29. ClinicalTrials.gov, API v2, record NCT06828055 (VENTURE-Oral Dosing, VK2735-202), phase 2, including eligibility and exclusion criteria. Retrieved 26 September 2026. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06828055
  30. ClinicalTrials.gov, API v2, record NCT07104500 (VANQUISH-1, VK2735-301), phase 3, 78 weeks plus a 52-week extension, estimated primary completion 1 July 2027. Retrieved 26 September 2026. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07104500
  31. US Food and Drug Administration. FDA's Concerns with Unapproved GLP-1 Drugs Used for Weight Loss, content current as of 1 September 2026, retrieved 26 September 2026. Names semaglutide, tirzepatide, retatrutide, survodutide and mazdutide; VK2735 is not named. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-alerts-and-statements/fdas-concerns-unapproved-glp-1-drugs-used-weight-loss
  32. US Food and Drug Administration. Warning letters 695607, 696885, 721806, 729447, 733652, 734884, 735063 and 735127 (December 2024 to August 2026) read in full on 26 September 2026; none mentions VK2735. https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/compliance-actions-and-activities/warning-letters
  33. Viking Therapeutics. Announcement of 11 March 2025: manufacturing agreement covering the active substance and finished injections and tablets. https://ir.vikingtherapeutics.com/2025-03-11-Viking-Therapeutics-Signs-Broad-Manufacturing-Agreement-With-CordenPharma-to-Support-Commercialization-of-VK2735
  34. Viking Therapeutics. Announcement of 27 February 2024: top-line results from the phase 2 VENTURE trial. https://ir.vikingtherapeutics.com/2024-02-27-Viking-Therapeutics-Announces-Positive-Top-Line-Results-from-Phase-2-VENTURE-Trial-of-Dual-GLP-1-GIP-Receptor-Agonist-VK2735-in-Patients-with-Obesity
  35. Viking Therapeutics. Announcement of 25 June 2025: initiation of the phase 3 VANQUISH programme. https://ir.vikingtherapeutics.com/2025-06-25-Viking-Therapeutics-Announces-Initiation-of-Phase-3-Obesity-Clinical-Program-with-GLP-1-GIP-Agonist-VK2735
  36. Viking Therapeutics. Announcement of 12 January 2026: publication of the VENTURE results in the journal Obesity. https://ir.vikingtherapeutics.com/2026-01-12-Viking-Therapeutics-Announces-Publication-of-Results-from-Phase-2-VENTURE-Trial-of-Dual-GLP-1-GIP-Receptor-Agonist-VK2735-in-the-Journal-Obesity
  37. Viking Therapeutics. Announcement of 19 November 2025: completion of enrolment in VANQUISH-1, approximately 4,650 participants. https://ir.vikingtherapeutics.com/2025-11-19-Viking-Therapeutics-Announces-Completion-of-Enrollment-in-Phase-3-VANQUISH-1-Trial-of-VK2735
  38. Viking Therapeutics. Announcement of 26 March 2026: completion of enrolment in VANQUISH-2, approximately 1,000 participants. https://ir.vikingtherapeutics.com/2026-03-26-Viking-Therapeutics-Announces-Completion-of-Enrollment-in-Phase-3-VANQUISH-2-Trial-of-VK2735
  39. openFDA, approvals and label endpoints, queried 26 September 2026: no record for VK2735, against records for the control substance tirzepatide. https://api.fda.gov/drug/drugsfda.json?search=openfda.generic_name:VK2735
  40. European Medicines Agency, dataset of European public assessment reports, downloaded and searched 26 September 2026: no entry for VK2735 or the developer, against entries for tirzepatide and semaglutide. https://www.ema.europa.eu/system/files/documents/other/medicines_output_european_public_assessment_reports_en.xlsx
  41. Electronic Medicines Compendium, United Kingdom, queried 26 September 2026: no result for VK2735, against 6 results for tirzepatide. https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/search?q=VK2735
  42. Federal Register of Legislation, Australia. Therapeutic Goods (Poisons Standard, June 2026) Instrument 2026, F2026L00633, full text searched 26 September 2026: no match for VK2735, against entries for tirzepatide and semaglutide. https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2026L00633/asmade/2026-05-28/text/original/epub/OEBPS/document_1/document_1.html
  43. Health Canada, Drug Product Database, active ingredient endpoint, queried 26 September 2026: empty result for VK2735, against 24 records for tirzepatide. https://health-products.canada.ca/api/drug/activeingredient/?ingredientname=VK2735&type=json
  44. Swissmedic, extended list of authorised human medicines, searched 26 September 2026: no match for VK2735 or the developer, against entries for tirzepatide and semaglutide. https://www.swissmedic.ch/dam/swissmedic/de/dokumente/internetlisten/erweiterte_ham_ind.xlsx.download.xlsx/Erweiterte_Arzneimittelliste%20HAM.xlsx
  45. Annex to section 2(3) of the German anti-doping act, official citation BGBl. 2023 I no. 67, read in full on 26 September 2026: no entry for VK2735 or for GLP-1 or GIP receptor agonists. https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/antidopg/anlage.html
  46. Viking Therapeutics Inc. Patent AU2022210988B2, Compositions and methods for the treatment of metabolic and liver disorders, priority 20 January 2021. Describes a class of dual GIP/GLP-1 agonists without naming VK2735. https://patents.google.com/patent/AU2022210988B2/en
  47. Viking Therapeutics Inc. Patent US12421282B2, Compositions and methods for the treatment of metabolic and liver disorders, priority 15 September 2021. Describes a class of dual GIP/GLP-1 agonists without naming VK2735. https://patents.google.com/patent/US12421282B2/en

Cite this page

The facts on this page, including every register behind the status table, were checked on 26 September 2026. Two things could change soon: a peer-reviewed paper on the tablet or maintenance data, and the phase 3 results due in 2027.

myPeptides Research & Editing. (2026). VK2735: what the trials show, status and safety. Version 1.0, 26 September 2026. myPeptides Peptide Register. Retrieved from https://mypep.app/peptides/vk2735

How pages in this register are compiled and graded is described under methodology; the full register is at peptides.

VersionDateChange
1.02026-09-26Initial publication

Last verified: 26 September 2026. Next review: on publication of any phase 3 result, a peer-reviewed tablet or maintenance paper, an approval decision, or a change to the anti-doping classification.

Identifiers

IdentifierValue
WikidataQ125102011

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Cite this page

Use this reference when you quote the page, and the JSON export when you process it automatically.

myPeptides Research & Editing (2026). VK2735: what the trials show, status and safety (Version 1.0). myPeptides. https://mypep.app/peptides/vk2735

Machine-readable version (JSON)

Last reviewed: September 2026

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