VKTX Viking Therapeutics Inc

FORM 4 [ ] Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).         
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES                                                                                   
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Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940                       

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * LIGAND PHARMACEUTICALS INC	2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol Viking Therapeutics, Inc. [ VKTX ]	5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director                    __X__ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below)    _____ Other (specify below)
(Last)          (First)          (Middle) 3911 SORRENTO VALLEY BOULEVARD,, SUITE 110	3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YYYY) 8/25/2020
(Street) SAN DIEGO, CA 92121 (City)        (State)        (Zip)	4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YYYY)	6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) _X _ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Trans. Date	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	3. Trans. Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Common Stock	8/25/2020		S		70000	D	$8.0225	5968083 (1)	D
Common Stock	8/26/2020		S		94488	D	$8.108 (2)	5819383 (1)	D

Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Trans. Date	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	4. Trans. Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares

Explanation of Responses:
(1)	Includes 882,474 shares of Common Stock held by Metabasis Therapeutics, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Reporting Person.
(2)	The price reported in Column 4 is a weighted average price. These shares were sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $8.0948 to $8.20, inclusive. The Reporting Person undertakes to provide to the Issuer, any security holder of the Issuer, or the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission, upon request, additional information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price within the range set forth in this footnote.

Reporting Owners
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
LIGAND PHARMACEUTICALS INC 3911 SORRENTO VALLEY BOULEVARD, SUITE 110 SAN DIEGO, CA 92121		X

Signatures
/s/ Charles S. Berkman		8/27/2020
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date