Clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company Viking Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:VKTX) announced on Wednesday the initiation of the SUNRISE Phase 3 clinical programme for oral VK2735, a dual agonist of the glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptors.

Oral VK2735 is being developed in both oral and subcutaneous formulations for the potential treatment of various metabolic disorders such as obesity.

The SUNRISE Phase 3 programme covers two studies evaluating oral VK2735: one in adults with obesity and another in obese or overweight adults with type 2 diabetes. Each study is a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre trial aimed at evaluating the efficacy and safety of VK2735, with patients receiving once-daily oral VK2735 for 68 weeks.

SUNRISE-1 and SUNRISE-2 are aiming to enrol 560 adults. After 68 weeks of treatment, the primary endpoint of both trials will be the percentage change in body weight from baseline for participants dosed with oral VK2735 as compared to placebo.