VKTX Vs. GPCR: Which Obesity Drug Developer Does Wall Street See With The Bigger Upside?

• Earlier this month, Viking announced competition for patient enrollment in its late-stage clinical trial of subcutaneous VK2735, the company's experimental drug for weight loss.
• Structure Therapeutics expects to initiate late-stage clinical development of its experimental drug Aleniglipron in the second half of 2026.
• According to data from Koyfin, GPCR stock carries a 12-month average target of $109, while VKTX stock carries a 12-month average target of $92.72.

Viking Therapeutics (VKTX) and Structure Therapeutics (GPCR) are capturing intense investor attention as obesity treatments are increasingly deemed the largest growth engine in the U.S. pharmaceutical industry.

Eli Lilly (LLY) and Novo Nordisk (NVO) currently dominate the current obesity drug market. Smaller firms Viking and Structure are both developing drugs for obesity even as bigger names like Pfizer (PFE) and AstraZeneca (AZN) also seek to enter the competition ring.

Viking, Structure’s Obesity Pipelines

Earlier this month, Viking announced competition for patient enrollment in its late-stage clinical trial of subcutaneous VK2735, the company's experimental drug for weight loss. The trial enrolled about 1,000 patients with type 2 diabetes and who have obesity or who are overweight, the company said.

The primary endpoint of the study is the percent change in body weight from baseline after 78 weeks of treatment for participants receiving VK2735 as compared to placebo. In a mid-stage trial, patients achieved up to 14.7% mean weight loss in 13 weeks on the drug.

The dual agonist VK2735 is being developed in both oral and subcutaneous formulations. Viking is now looking forward to advancing the oral version of its experimental obesity drug into late-stage study in the third-quarter (Q3) of 2026.

Meanwhile, Structure said earlier this month that its experimental drug Aleniglipron achieved clinically meaningful and statistically significant placebo-adjusted mean weight loss of 16.3% at the 180 mg dose and 16.0% at the 240 mg dose at 44 weeks in a mid-stage trial. The company now expects to initiate late-stage clinical development of the drug in the second half of 2026.

The company also has other investigational obesity drugs called ACCG-2671 and ANPA-0073 currently in early stage studies.  

Who Offers Better Upside?

According to data from Koyfin, GPCR carries a 12-month average target of $109, implying a 147.95% upside potential from its last close. The stock holds a consensus analyst rating of 'Strong Buy', with 15 analysts rating the stock ‘Buy’ or higher while one rates it a ‘Hold’.

Meanwhile, VKTX carries a 12-month average target of $92.72, representing a 209.80% upside from current levels. The stock also holds a consensus 'Strong Buy' rating, with 17 analysts rating it ‘Buy’ or higher while two hate it ‘Hold’.

How Did Retail Traders React?

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment toward VKTX stock stayed within the ‘neutral’ territory over the past 24 hours, while message volume rose from ‘normal’ to ‘high’ levels.

Meanwhile, sentiment toward GPCR stock stayed within the ‘bearish’ territory, while message volume fell from ‘normal’ to ‘low’ levels.  

VKTX stock has climbed 24% this year, while GPCR surged 154%. 

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