Viking Therapeutics Slumps as Weight-Loss Pill Underwhelms

Viking Therapeutics Inc. plunged on Tuesday after its experimental obesity pill disappointed in a mid-stage study, marking another weaker-than-expected result for an oral alternative to popular weight-loss injections.

The pill, known as VK2735, helped patients lose up to 12.2% of their body weight, Viking said in a statement. However, roughly 28% of patients dropped out of the trial in just three months, dampening hopes that the pill could compete with treatments from Eli Lilly & Co. and Novo Nordisk A/S.