Viking Therapeutics Announces Appointment of Hubert C. Chen, M.D., as Chief Medical Officer

"We are thrilled to welcome Hubert to Viking as we move our next-generation therapies through late-stage development and prepare for VK2735's potential commercialization," said Brian Lian, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of Viking Therapeutics. "He is an accomplished physician, scientist, and biotechnology executive with an impressive combination of scientific, clinical, regulatory, and operational expertise, along with extensive knowledge of obesity, metabolic disorders, and endocrinology. With multiple clinical programs advancing, this is a critical time to expand Viking's leadership team. Hubert's proven track record and history of developing innovative therapies make him an excellent addition to the team."

Prior to joining Viking, Dr. Chen served as chief research and development officer at Loyal Animal Health, where he led the first-ever FDA-negotiated effectiveness and safety requirements for longevity therapeutics. Previously, he was president and chief scientific officer at Forte Biosciences, chief medical officer at Metacrine, and chief scientific and medical officer at Pfenex. At Pfenex, he developed a novel clinical and regulatory strategy for Bonsity, a drug-device combination for high-risk osteoporosis, leading to approvals in the U.S. and E.U. Earlier in his career, Dr. Chen led obesity and type 2 diabetes programs at Amylin Pharmaceuticals, including combinatorial approaches using glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), and amylin analogs.

"Joining the Viking team at this exciting time of growth is an incredible opportunity, as obesity and metabolic disorders are among the most significant health challenges of our time, affecting nearly every aspect of long-term health and well-being," said Dr. Chen.  "Viking's scientific rigor and innovation have enabled the company to become a leader in this field, with a strong pipeline aimed at overcoming the challenges of achieving and maintaining significant weight loss and the associated health benefits. I look forward to working with the Viking team to make meaningful improvements in people's health and lives as we advance these important therapies."

Dr. Chen earned his M.D. from Columbia, completed his internal medicine residency at Massachusetts General Hospital, and his endocrinology fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco. He has an undergraduate degree from Stanford and is an affiliate faculty at the University of California, San Diego.

About Viking Therapeutics, Inc.

Viking Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel first-in-class or best-in-class therapies for the treatment of metabolic and endocrine disorders. Viking's research and development activities leverage its expertise in metabolism to develop innovative therapeutics designed to improve patients' lives. Viking's clinical programs include VK2735, a novel dual agonist of the glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptors for the potential treatment of various metabolic disorders. The company is evaluating its subcutaneous formulation of VK2735 in a Phase 3 obesity program that includes two Phase 3 clinical trials (VANQUISH-1 and VANQUISH-2). Data from a Phase 1 and a Phase 2 trial evaluating subcutaneous VK2735 demonstrated an encouraging safety and tolerability profile as well as positive signs of clinical benefit. Concurrently, the company is evaluating an oral formulation of VK2735 in a Phase 2 trial in obesity. Viking is also developing VK2809, a novel, orally available, small molecule selective thyroid hormone receptor beta agonist for the treatment of lipid and metabolic disorders. The compound successfully achieved both the primary and secondary endpoints in a Phase 2b study for the treatment of biopsy-confirmed non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and fibrosis. In a Phase 2a trial for the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and elevated LDL-C, patients who received VK2809 demonstrated statistically significant reductions in LDL-C and liver fat content compared with patients who received placebo. The company's newest program is evaluating a series of internally developed dual amylin and calcitonin receptor agonists (or DACRAs) for the treatment of obesity and other metabolic disorders. In the rare disease space, Viking is developing VK0214, a novel, orally available, small molecule selective thyroid hormone receptor beta agonist for the potential treatment of X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD). In a Phase 1b clinical trial in patients with the adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN) form of X-ALD, VK0214 was shown to be safe and well-tolerated, while driving significant reductions in plasma levels of very long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) and other lipids, as compared to placebo.

For more information about Viking Therapeutics, please visit www.vikingtherapeutics.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding Viking Therapeutics, Inc., under the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements about Viking's expectations regarding its clinical and preclinical development programs, anticipated timing for reporting clinical data and cash resources.  Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely and reported results should not be considered as an indication of future performance. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: risks associated with the success, cost and timing of Viking's product candidate development activities and clinical trials, including those for VK2735, VK0214, VK2809, and the company's other incretin and other receptor agonists; risks that prior clinical and preclinical results may not be replicated; risks regarding regulatory requirements; and other risks that are described in Viking's most recent periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission including Viking's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, including the risk factors set forth in those filings. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof.  Viking disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements except as required by law.

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SOURCE Viking Therapeutics, Inc.