What Is VK2735? Viking’s Oral and Injectable Obesity Drug

VK2735 is an investigational obesity drug from Viking Therapeutics with a notable flexibility: it’s being developed in both an injectable form and an oral pill, using the same active molecule. It’s a dual agonist, activating both the GLP-1 and GIP receptors (the same two targets as tirzepatide). It’s not FDA approved. The injectable produced double-digit weight loss in mid-stage testing, and the oral version reached up to about 12% at 13 weeks. Here’s what makes VK2735 distinctive and where it stands.

One Drug, Two Formats

The standout feature of VK2735 is that Viking is developing it as both a weekly injection and a daily oral tablet. That’s unusual, since most companies pursue one format or the other. The appeal is flexibility: some patients strongly prefer pills, while others do better with less frequent injections, and having both from the same drug could let people start on one and transition to the other (for example, using the injection to lose weight and a low-dose pill to maintain it).

VK2735 works as a dual GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist. GLP-1 curbs appetite and slows stomach emptying, while adding GIP activity has been shown (with tirzepatide) to enhance weight loss further. So VK2735 is in the same mechanistic family as one of the most effective approved drugs, just with the added twist of an oral option.

What the Trials Showed

VK2735’s clinical program has two tracks. The injectable was studied in the phase 2 VENTURE trial, with full results published in the journal Obesity in 2026, showing meaningful weight loss over a 13-week treatment period along with improvements in cardiometabolic measures. The oral tablet was tested in a separate phase 2 trial (VENTURE-Oral), where the highest dose produced up to about 12.2% weight loss at 13 weeks, with weight still declining at the end (no plateau).

Where It’s Headed

Viking has advanced the injectable into a phase 3 program (called VANQUISH) and, after a meeting with the FDA, plans to move the oral version into phase 3 as well. If successful, VK2735 could become one of the first oral dual GLP-1/GIP drugs to reach the market. Consider a hypothetical patient who has avoided weight-loss treatment entirely because they dislike needles. An effective oral option in this drug class could remove that barrier, which is exactly the gap Viking is aiming for with the tablet.

The 13-week trial windows are relatively short, so longer studies will be important to confirm how much weight VK2735 produces over a full year and how well the results hold.

What This Means for You Right Now

VK2735 is not available in either form, and TrimRx does not offer it. TrimRx provides medications you can access today, including compounded semaglutide and compounded tirzepatide plus brand options like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound. If you want to start losing weight now, those are the options to consider while VK2735 completes late-stage testing.

The oral-plus-injectable flexibility makes VK2735 one of the more interesting candidates to watch, but it remains investigational for now.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is VK2735 a pill or an injection?

Both. Viking Therapeutics is developing VK2735 as a once-weekly injection and as a daily oral tablet, using the same active molecule. This dual-format approach is one of the drug’s most distinctive features.

How much weight does VK2735 produce?

In mid-stage trials, the injectable produced double-digit weight loss over 13 weeks, and the oral tablet reached up to about 12.2% at 13 weeks. These were relatively short studies, so longer trials will show the full effect over time.

Is VK2735 FDA approved or available from TrimRx?

No. VK2735 is investigational and not FDA approved, available only through clinical trials. TrimRx offers currently available medications like compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide and brand GLP-1 options, not VK2735.

To focus on what you can actually access today, you can explore the options available to you now with a licensed provider.

This information is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. VK2735 is investigational and not FDA approved; details and timelines may change. Consult a healthcare provider before starting any medication. Individual results may vary.