Shares of Viking Therapeutics, Inc. ( VKTX ) are rising Thursday. The clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company reported third-quarter earnings and provided updates on clinical trials.

VKTX stock is racing ahead of the pack. See the full story here.

What To Know: Viking Therapeutics ( VKTX ) reported a third-quarter loss of 81 cents per share, missing analyst estimates for loss of 72 cents per share, according to Benzinga Pro.

The company said it tripled its spending on research and development year-over-year, going from $22.8 million to $90 million. The increase in spending contributed to a more than doubling of net losses.

Despite the wider-than-expected loss, the market reacted positively to updates on several drug trials. The stock was up more than 10% on Thursday at last check, according to Benzinga Pro.

Phase 3 trials for Viking Therapeutics’s injectable weight loss treatment are proceeding as scheduled after phrase 2 saw successful results. In Phase 2 trials, subjects who received the treatment saw statistically significant reductions in body weight compared with those who received placebo treatments. The oral formulation of the drug also had impressive results, demonstrating up to 26.6 pounds of average weight loss after 13 weeks of treatment.

“During the first three quarters of 2025, Viking made strong and steady progress with each of our active programs, with new data reported in the third quarter that further positions our lead obesity program as potentially best-in-class,” said Brian Lian, CEO of Viking. 

Viking Therapeutics ( VKTX ) noted that it “made good progress” on its amylin agonist program in the quarter and plans to file an IND in the first quarter.The company has several industry conference presentations scheduled in November, where it will share in-depth trial results.

VKTX Analysis: Viking Therapeutics ( VKTX ) stock is trading 16.8% above its 50-day moving average of $29.09 and 15.8% above its 200-day moving average of $29.35. The bullish momentum appears to be strengthening. Despite the positive price action, Viking has experienced a year-to-date decline of 17.3%, indicating that the stock has faced challenges throughout the year. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) stands at 49.92, signaling a neutral position.

The calculated support level at $32.21 provides a cushion for the stock, should it encounter selling pressure after reaching resistance. If Viking can maintain its position above this support level, it may build a foundation for a potential breakout above the resistance level. Additionally, the stock’s recent performance places it in a mid-sized player position relative to peers like Eli Lilly and Madrigal Pharmaceuticals, which have significantly larger market capitalizations.

VKTX Price Action: Viking shares were up 11.08% at $34.90 at the time of publication on Thursday. The stock is trading within its 52-week range of $18.92 to $81.72, according to Benzinga Pro.

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