What to Know About This Obesity Drug Developer That Just Drew a New $7 Million Investment

On February 17, 2026, ACT Capital Management disclosed a new position in Viking Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VKTX), acquiring 206,100 shares worth $7.25 million.

What happened

According to an SEC filing dated February 17, 2026, ACT Capital Management established a new position in Viking Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VKTX), adding 206,100 shares. The position’s value at quarter-end stood at $7.25 million.

What else to know

• This is a new position, representing 5.86% of the fund’s reportable assets under management as of December 31, 2025.
• Top holdings after the filing:
  • NASDAQ: KRYS: $14.92 million (12.5% of AUM)
  • NYSE: CVX: $11.96 million (10.1% of AUM)
  • NYSE: XOM: $9.93 million (8.4% of AUM)
  • NASDAQ: ABVX: $8.62 million (7.3% of AUM)
  • NASDAQ: TGTX: $8.02 million (6.7% of AUM)
• As of Monday, shares of Viking Therapeutics were priced at $36.07, up 177% over the past year and performing roughly in line with the S&P 500’s 18% gain in the same period.

Company overview

Company snapshot

• Viking Therapeutics develops clinical-stage therapies targeting metabolic and endocrine disorders, with lead candidates including VK2809 for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and VK5211 for hip fracture recovery.
• The firm operates a biotechnology business model focused on advancing proprietary drug candidates through clinical trials, aiming for future revenue from licensing, partnerships, or commercialization.
• It targets healthcare providers, pharmaceutical partners, and patients affected by metabolic and endocrine diseases, particularly those with unmet medical needs.

Viking Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company based in San Diego, California, specializing in the development of novel therapies for metabolic and endocrine disorders. The company leverages a focused pipeline of orally available drug candidates, aiming to address significant gaps in current treatment options. Its strategy centers on advancing innovative compounds through clinical development to achieve market differentiation and long-term growth potential.

What this transaction means for investors

Few areas of biotech have captured investor attention lately quite like obesity drugs, where breakthrough treatments have rapidly reshaped expectations for the pharmaceutical industry, and Viking is trying to position itself squarely in that race. Its lead candidate, VK2735, targets the same GLP-1 and GIP hormone pathways that have powered blockbuster drugs from larger pharmaceutical companies. Early data has been encouraging. In a Phase 2 study, patients taking VK2735 achieved average weight reductions of up to 14.7% after 13 weeks of treatment, results that helped propel the program into late-stage development.

The company is now advancing multiple clinical programs, including Phase 3 trials for a subcutaneous version of VK2735 while also preparing an oral version for Phase 3 development. Importantly for a clinical-stage biotech, Viking ended 2025 with roughly $706 million in cash, giving it significant runway to advance its pipeline. It reported a fourth-quarter net loss of $157.7 million.

Within the broader portfolio, the position sits alongside other biotech investments such as Krystal Biotech and Abivax, highlighting a clear strategy: concentrate capital in companies developing novel therapies with potentially outsized upside.

Jonathan Ponciano has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Chevron and Krystal Biotech. The Motley Fool recommends TG Therapeutics and Viking Therapeutics. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.