Super Ozempic? New weight-loss drug burns fat 5 times quicker than that or Wegovy: study

It’s worth the weight.

A new injectable helps patients burn fat five times faster than Ozempic and Wegovy, according to the stunning results of a new clinical trial.

The drug — currently known as VK2735 — was developed by California biotech company Viking Therapeutics, whose share price surged 80% after the trial results were announced Tuesday.

While the injectable still has to go through another clinical trial before becoming eligible for FDA approval, there’s already buzz that it could revolutionize the weight loss industry and leave other injectables in the dust.

In the clinical trial, participants who were injected with a high dose of VK2735 once per week for 13 weeks lost an average of 32 pounds, or 14.7% of their body weight.

By comparison, it took patients injecting Ozempic and Wegovy 68 weeks — or five times as long — to see similar results.

“Our plan is to proceed aggressively with further clinical development,” Viking CEO Brian Lian excitedly declared, saying the drug showed “promising efficacy.”

During the phase two trial for VK2735, scientists recruited 174 overweight or obese adults with at least one underlying co-morbidity, such as Type 2 diabetes.

One hundred-forty injected VK2735 once per week for 13 weeks, while the remaining 34 were administered a placebo.

Those who injected the placebo lost just 1.7% of their body weight on average.

Meanwhile, participants on a 10 milligram dose of VK2735 reported an average body weight loss of 12.9%, while participants on the highest dosage (15 mg) saw 14.7% of their weight drop off.

Like Ozempic and Wegovy, VK2735 mimics glucagon-like peptide 1, the hormone that makes people feel fuller for longer.

However, the injectable additionally mimics glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide, which slows the movement of food through the gut. That could be responsible for increasing its efficacy.

Some participants taking VK2735 did report common side effects, such as vomiting and nausea, although not at levels that would make the drug prohibitive for sale.

Viking Therapeutics is now taking the drug to a Phase 3 trial, where it will be tested on a larger sample size.