原文標題：
Viking data suggest obesity drug could rival Zepbound, Wegovy
原文連結：
http://tinyurl.com/24djp4tr
發布時間：
Tue, Feb 27, 2024, 7:22 AM EST
記者署名：
Jonathan Gardner
原文內容：
(這篇報導太多生物、藥學相關的專業用字，我只能把大概意思翻一下)
(Viking Threapeutics股票代號VKTX)
Dive Brief:
An experimental weight loss drug developed by Viking Therapeutics helped
overweight and obese people lose up to 15% of their body weight after 13
weeks of treatment in a mid-stage trial, the company said Tuesday.
由Viking Threapeutics (以下用頭一字Viking代替)研發的實驗性減重藥物幫助肥胖人士
在13周的治療過程中減重15%。公司星期二說的。
The drug, a potential rival to Eli Lilly’s Zepbound and Novo Nordisk’s
Wegovy, led to greater weight loss over that time period than both of those
medicines did in clinical testing. However, Wall Street analysts cautioned
the effects of Viking’s therapy need to be confirmed in a larger Phase 3
trial.
相比於其對手Eli Lilly的Zepbound和Novo Nordisk的Wegovy藥物，此款實驗性用藥在臨
床試驗階段，在同一個周期(13周)之下帶來更好的減重效果。
Viking shares nearly doubled Tuesday morning, adding more than $3 billion to
the company’s market value as the data sparked speculation the biotech might
become a buyout target.
Viking在周二早上暴漲近100%，等同多了30多億的市值，原因來自於上述實驗結果激起
一些市場推測，也就是這項生物科技可能成為[被其他公司]買斷的對象。
Dive Insight:
Viking’s drug, an injectable therapy called VK2735, activates two
insulin-stimulating hormones known as GLP-1 and GIP. The drug’s mechanism is
similar to Lilly’s tirzepatide, which is approved for obesity and diabetes
under different brand names. Tirzepatide is a big reason why the pharma giant
has become one of the world’s most valuable companies, with a market
capitalization above $700 billion.
Viking的VK2735乃一注射性藥物，可以啟動兩個刺激胰島素[分泌]的激素LP-1和GIP。此
項藥物的機轉跟Lily的tirzepatide藥物很像，tirzepatide已經被核准且有眾多品牌使
用他來做為治療肥胖或者糖尿病的藥物。tirzepatide是讓Lilly's成為藥商巨擘的重大原
因，該公司(Lilly)市值已經超過7千億。
Viking’s value is now climbing as well, as study results show its drug may
be competitive with Lilly and Novo’s fast-selling medicines in a market some
estimate will be worth as much as $90 billion annually by 2030.
Viking的市值也正在攀爬中，原因來自於研究結果表明該項藥物[VK2735]將會成為Lilly
和Novo兩間公司大熱賣藥物的競爭對手，此類藥物的市場估計在2030年時，一年的市場
將能有900億。
Last year, Viking reported data from a Phase 1 trial of VK2735 that tested
safety and evaluated which dose to use in further testing. At that point,
participants who received the highest tested dose lost about 7.8% of their
body weight over four weeks.
早在去年Viking便發表了VK2735的第一階段試藥結果，該階段主要測試安全性和評估應
該用多少劑量來做之後的測試。在那個時候，接受最高測試劑量的受試者在四周內減重
7.8%
Data from the Phase 2 trial, called Venture, provide a broader look at the
drug’s potential. The study enrolled 176 people classified as obese or
overweight who had at least one weight-related health condition. They were
randomized to receive either a placebo or one of four doses of VK2735 ranging
from 2.5 to 15 milligrams a week.
被命名為Venture專案的第二階段試驗裡的資料為該項藥物的發展性提供了更廣的樣貌。
研究中有176個被歸類為肥胖或過重、且至少有一項與肥胖相關疾病的參與者。他們被隨
機以安慰劑或者以一周2.5到15毫克間不同劑量分布的VK2735的方式接受投藥。
From the study’s start, participants who received the lowest dose lost an
average of 9.1% of their body weight, or about 7.4% more than those who
received a placebo. The weight-loss effects were greater with each higher
dose tested, and the results were statistically significant, the company said.
自研究伊始，接受最低藥物劑量的受測者平均減重9.1%，與安慰劑對照組相比多了7.4%。
公司說劑量越高，減重效果越好，此結果在統計學上是很有代表性的。
At all dose levels, study investigators saw a meaningful difference in the
number of people losing at least 10% of their body weight when compared to a
placebo. About 88% of those given the highest dose reached that threshold,
for instance.
研究調查員觀察到與安慰劑相比，使用[VK2735]四種不同劑量的使用者在減重差過10%的
數據上有顯著的不同，舉例來說，使用最高劑量藥物中的人之中，大約有88%的人都達到
這個[減重超過10%]的臨界值。
Side effects were more frequent at higher dose levels, too. One-fifth of the
35 participants on the highest drug dose quit the study early, Viking
reported. Nausea affected 63% of the people taking that dose, and vomiting
29%, although both are common side effects of drugs like VK2735.
劑量越高，副作用也越常出現。報告! 35位接受最高劑量治療的人當中約有2成的人中離。
接受最高劑量治療的人有63%左右出現噁心症狀、29%出現嘔吐，雖然這兩個都是與VK2735
類似的減肥藥中本來就很常出現的副作用。
Nonetheless, the data exceeded the expectations of investors, who had
forecast about 8% reductions in body weight, wrote Leerink Partners analyst
Thomas Smith in a note to clients. William Blair analyst Andy Hsieh added the
result “reflects a best-in-class profile among approved and investigational
agents with Phase 2 data.”
不管怎麼說，Leerink Partners分析師Thomas Smith先生寫道，資料結果超越了投資者的
期待，原本以為只能減重8%而已，William Blair分析師Andy Hsieh先生更指出，[該項研
究]結果所帶來的意思是，現在所有第二階段試驗已核准或仍在研究中的藥物/媒介裡，
就屬VK2735最能打。
“We are shifting our stance to believe VK2735 has the potential to exhibit a
potentially better efficacy profile relative to Zepbound,” Hsieh wrote.
Hsieh說我們轉換了我們的立場了，我們相信VK2735具有潛力，可能帶來比Zepbound藥物
更好的[藥物]有效性數據。
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不重要，不翻了。
心得/評論：
今早起來看到我的portflio勃起，才看到是這一支，我都快忘了我買過了，感謝我波，
看了一下2019年4月的交易紀錄，很明顯是當初賣掉波音的錢拿來買VKTX的，當時大跌就買
了，今天上班真的舒服。感覺這隻有機會再漲~ 但這隻我就不作為標的推薦了，老實說
我買的時候根本也不知道這間在幹嘛。。。要不是我翻譯了這篇真的不知道。。。