Viking & BioNTech: A Speculative Turn

by

The pursuit of capital gains, as any sensible man knows, necessitates a degree of calculated risk. One ought not, of course, to mistake speculation for genuine investment, but the market, in its infinite absurdity, rarely permits such distinctions. With that caveat, a glance at the more distressed corners of the biotechnological sector reveals a pair of companies – Viking Therapeutics and BioNTech – which, while hardly promising salvation, might, with a little luck and a great deal of forbearance, offer a modest return.

Both have endured a period of distinctly uninspired performance, a state of affairs which, while regrettable, often presents the shrewdest opportunities. Let us examine them in turn, though I offer no guarantees beyond the distinct possibility of disappointment.

Viking Therapeutics

Viking Therapeutics, a name redolent of distant, unproductive voyages, is currently engaged in the fashionable pursuit of weight reduction. Their principal candidate, VK2735, a GLP-1 medicine, is, like so many of its brethren, intended to address the modern affliction of excessive indulgence. The preliminary results, whilst not entirely unprecedented, appear marginally superior to those of the larger, more established pharmaceutical houses, a fact which, in the current climate, is sufficient to warrant attention. They are, moreover, displaying a commendable, if slightly desperate, ingenuity by exploring various formulations and dosages, seemingly determined to wring every possible benefit from this single compound.

One detects a certain frantic energy in their approach, as though acutely aware that the window of opportunity in this particular market is closing with alarming speed. They are even, I understand, contemplating an oral version of VK2735, a development which, if successful, would undoubtedly be hailed as a triumph of marketing over science.

Loading widget...

Beyond this flagship product, Viking Therapeutics is, with commendable ambition, developing further weight management candidates. Whether these will come to fruition remains to be seen, but the sheer volume of activity suggests a company determined to avoid the fate of so many of its predecessors – obscurity and financial ruin. A modest rise in the share price this year is, therefore, not entirely implausible, provided they can navigate the treacherous waters of clinical trials and regulatory approvals.

BioNTech

BioNTech, a name which once resonated with the promise of pandemic salvation, has experienced a predictable decline in fortunes. The revenue derived from their coronavirus vaccine, shared with the behemoth Pfizer, has proven, as is so often the case, to be fleeting. However, the company persists, clinging to the hope that its pipeline of investigational therapies will, in time, restore its former glory.

Their current efforts focus on cancer, a field littered with the wreckage of failed promises. BNT113, an investigational therapy for head and neck cancer, has received the coveted “Fast Track Designation” from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, a designation which, whilst flattering, rarely guarantees success. They are also pursuing Trastuzumab Pamirtecan, a therapy for endometrial cancer, with similar levels of optimism.

Loading widget...

The prospect of interim data readouts this year has, predictably, generated a degree of excitement amongst investors. Whether this excitement is justified remains to be seen. However, a positive trend in the share price, sustained by further progress in their pipeline, is not entirely beyond the realm of possibility. If they can, against the odds, launch a few of these therapies in the next couple of years, their financial prospects might, at last, improve. A modest return, therefore, is conceivable, though one should approach this investment with a healthy dose of skepticism and a firm grasp on the realities of the pharmaceutical industry.

Read More

2026-01-27 21:24