"Viking Therapeutics' Oral Weight-Loss Pill Demonstrates Positive Phase 1 Study Results"

Viking Therapeutics' stock surged over 15% after positive results from a small study on its experimental weight loss pill, which is set to enter the next stage of development later this year. The once-a-day oral tablet showed promising results in reducing weight, with patients losing up to 5.3% of their weight on average. The company plans to start a phase two trial for the pill and believes that treating patients beyond 28 days may lead to further reductions in body weight. Analysts view Viking as a strong potential player in the burgeoning weight loss drug market, which could grow into a $100 billion market by the end of the decade.