Phase 1 Study to Evaluate the Safety and Tolerability of VK2735

This is a Phase 1, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled single and multiple ascending dose study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), and pharmacodynamics (PD) of VK2735 in healthy adults and otherwise healthy adults who have an increased body mass index (BMI).

This study comprises 3 parts:

Part A (Single Ascending Dose \[SAD\]) will be conducted to assess the safety, tolerability, and PK profile in healthy participants following 1 single SC injection of VK2735 or VK2735 matching placebo (SAD Cohort 1 through SAD Cohort 6).

Part B (Multiple Ascending Dose \[MAD\]) will be conducted to assess the safety, tolerability, PK and PD profile in otherwise healthy participants who have an increased BMI following single SC injections of VK2735 or matched placebo administered once weekly for 4 consecutive weeks (MAD Cohort 1 through MAD Cohort 5).

Part C (Multiple Ascending Dose \[MAD\], PO) will be conducted to assess the safety, tolerability, PK and PD profiles in otherwise healthy, but obese, participants who have a BMI ≥30 kg/m2 following daily oral administration of VK2735 or matched placebo administered for 28 consecutive days (MAD-PO Cohort 1 through MAD-PO Cohort 4, with optional additional cohorts)

Safety Review Committee (SRC) meetings will be held prior to dose escalation for Part A (SAD), Part B (MAD), and Part C (MAD-PO) cohorts in the study. The decisions on dose escalation will be based on safety and laboratory data from each cohort.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

Participants must be capable of giving signed informed consent

Participants must be medically healthy, with no significant medical history, have no clinically significant abnormalities on physical examination at Screening and/or before administration of the initial dose of IP in the opinion of the Investigator

Participant body weight must have been stable (no change greater than 5%) for a minimum 8 weeks prior to Screening

Willing and able to comply with scheduled visits, treatment plan, laboratory tests and other clinical study procedures

Willing to comply with contraception requirements

Exclusion Criteria:

Participants with any level of disease or organ system dysfunction as identified during physical examination, medical history or laboratory testing, as assessed by the PI

Any surgical or medical condition (active or chronic) that may interfere with IP distribution, metabolism, excretion, or drug absorption

Participants may be excluded from the study if they have conditions that might compromise safety or other endpoints in the study as judged by the Sponsor (or designee) or Investigator

History or presence of clinically significant acute or unstable cerebrovascular (stroke), hepatic, renal, gastrointestinal, pulmonary, immunological, endocrine, diabetes, hematological, oncological, or central nervous disorder that in the opinion of the Investigator would pose a significant risk for the participant

Use of any investigational drug or product, or participation in an investigational drug study within 30 days prior to dosing or 5 half-lives of the drug (whichever is longest)

Active smoker and/or user of nicotine-containing products unless the participant agrees to discontinue smoking/use of nicotine-containing products from 2 weeks before first IP dose administration through to study completion, including the Follow-up period

Have serum triglycerides \> 5.65 mmol/L (500 mg/dL) at Screening

Positive serology for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis C antibodies, or HIV