Eli Lilly Just Raised Its 2026 Sales Forecast to as Much as $92 Billion. But Is Viking Therapeutics the Next Big Obesity Winner?
These drugmakers offer very different risk-reward profiles.
Eli Lilly (LLY) has raised its 2026 sales forecast to as much as $92 billion, driven by its leadership in the weight loss market. The company's revenue grew by 39% year-over-year to $24.4 billion in the third quarter, with Zepbound sales increasing by 49% to $5.4 billion. This success has led to an increase in Eli Lilly's sales guidance from $85 billion to $87 billion to between $91 billion and $92 billion.
However, Viking Therapeutics (VKTX), a clinical-stage biotech, may pose a challenge to Eli Lilly's dominance in the weight-loss market. Viking's leading candidate, VK2735, mimics the actions of the gut hormones GLP-1 and GIP, similar to Zepbound. Preliminary clinical trial results for VK2735 have been promising, with mean weight loss of up to 14.7% in a Phase 2 study.
If this success continues, Viking Therapeutics could become a major player in the weight-loss market. However, competition from other companies, including Eli Lilly, could put pressure on Viking's stock price.
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