As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 22, 2024      
                                                     Registration No. 333-223503

                                 UNITED STATES                                  
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION                       
                             Washington, D.C. 20549                             
                       POST EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO:                       
                 FORM S-8 REGISTRATION STATEMENT NO. 333-223503                 
                                                                                
                                     UNDER                                      
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933                           
                           Viking Therapeutics, Inc.                            
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)             

                                                    
                                                    
           Delaware                  46-1073877     
(State or other jurisdiction of   (I.R.S. Employer  
 incorporation or organization)  Identification No.)

                                                                                
                      9920 Pacific Heights Blvd, Suite 350                      
                              San Diego, CA 92121                               
              (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)               

                           2024 Equity Incentive Plan                           
                            (Full title of the plan)                            
                                                                                
                               Brian Lian, Ph.D.                                
                     President and Chief Executive Officer                      
                           Viking Therapeutics, Inc.                            
                      9920 Pacific Heights Blvd, Suite 350                      
                              San Diego, CA 92121                               
                                 (858) 704-4660                                 
 (Name, address and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
                                   Copies to:                                   
                            Jeffrey T. Hartlin, Esq.                            
                           Samantha H. Eldredge, Esq.                           
                               Paul Hastings LLP                                
                           1117 S. California Avenue                            
                          Palo Alto, California 94304                           
                                 (650) 320-1800                                 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an 
accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an 
emerging growth company. See the definitions of large accelerated filer, 
accelerated filer, smaller reporting company and emerging growth company in 
Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

                                                 
Large accelerated filer Accelerated filer        
                                                 
Non-accelerated filer   Smaller reporting company
                                                 
                        Emerging growth company  
                                                 


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If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has     
elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new    
or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section          
7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.                                               
                                                                                


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                                EXPLANATORY NOTE                                
Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (the the Registrant) is filing this Post-Effective 
Amendment No. 2 to amend the Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File No. 
333-223503) filed on March 7, 2018 with the Securities and Exchange Commission 
(the SEC) to include as Exhibit 23.2 the consent of its independent registered 
public accounting firm which was inadvertently omitted from the Post-Effective 
Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statements on Form S-8 filed on May 22, 2024 
with the SEC. No additional securities are being registered hereby.

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ITEM 8. EXHIBITS.


                                                                                          
Exhibit Number  Description                                                               
                                                                                          
           3.1  Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation                         
                (previously filed on July 1, 2014 as Exhibit 3.3 to the                   
                Registrants Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File                      
                No. 333-197182) and incorporated herein by reference).                    
                                                                                          
           3.2  Amended and Restated Bylaws of Viking Therapeutics, Inc.,                 
                effective as of May 9, 2023 (previously filed on May                      
                11, 2023 as Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant's Current                       
                Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference).                 
                                                                                          
           4.1  Form of Common Stock Certificate (previously filed                        
                on July 1, 2014 as Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrants                         
                Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No.                              
                333-197182) and incorporated herein by reference).                        
                                                                                          
           4.2  2014 Equity Incentive Plan (previously filed on                           
                March 2, 2015 as Exhibit 10.2 to the Registrants                          
                Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (File No.                            
                333-197182) and incorporated herein by reference).                        
                                                                                          
           4.3  Form of Stock Option Award Agreement (2014 Equity Incentive               
                Plan) (previously filed on July 1, 2014 as Exhibit 10.3                   
                to the Registrants Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File               
                No. 333-197182) and incorporated herein by reference).                    
                                                                                          
           4.4  Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement (2014 Equity                
                Incentive Plan) (previously filed on July 1, 2014 as Exhibit              
                10.4 to the Registrants Registration Statement on Form S-1                
                (File No. 333-197182) and incorporated herein by reference).              
                                                                                          
           4.5  Form of Stock Appreciation Rights Award Agreement (2014 Equity            
                Incentive Plan) (previously filed on July 1, 2014 as Exhibit              
                10.5 to the Registrants Registration Statement on Form S-1                
                (File No. 333-197182) and incorporated herein by reference).              
                                                                                          
           4.6  Form of Restricted Stock Award Agreement (2014 Equity Incentive           
                Plan) (previously filed on September 2, 2014 as Exhibit                   
                10.23 to the Registrants Registration Statement on Form S-1/A             
                (File No. 333-197182) and incorporated herein by reference).              
                                                                                          
           4.7  Viking Therapeutics, Inc. 2024 Equity Incentive Plan                      
                (previously filed on May 22, 2024 as Exhibit 4.2 to the                   
                Registrants Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File                      
                No. 333-279633) and incorporated herein by reference).                    
                                                                                          
           4.8  Form of Stock Option Award Agreement under the Viking Therapeutics,       
                Inc. 2024 Equity Incentive Plan (previously filed on May 22, 2024         
                as Exhibit 4.3 to the Registrants Registration Statement on Form          
                S-8 (File No. 333-279633) and incorporated herein by reference).          
                                                                                          
           4.9  Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement under the Viking            
                Therapeutics, Inc. 2024 Equity Incentive Plan (previously filed on May 22,
                2024 as Exhibit 4.4 to the Registrants Registration Statement on Form     
                S-8 (File No. 333-279633) and incorporated herein by reference).          
                                                                                          
          4.10  Form of Restricted Stock Award Agreement under the Viking Therapeutics,   
                Inc. 2024 Equity Incentive Plan (previously filed on May 22,              
                2024 as Exhibit 4.5 to the Registrants Registration Statement on Form     
                S-8 (File No. 333-279633) and incorporated herein by reference).          
                                                                                          
         5.1**  Opinion of Paul Hastings LLP.                                             
                                                                                          
           5.2  Opinion of Paul Hastings LLP (previously filed                            
                on May 1, 2015 as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registrants                          
                Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File No.                              
                333-203810) and incorporated herein by reference).                        


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   5.3  Opinion of Paul Hastings LLP (previously filed on May 10, 2016 as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registrants     
        Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-211270) and incorporated herein by reference).      
                                                                                                             
   5.4  Opinion of Paul Hastings LLP (previously filed on March 21, 2017 as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registrants   
        Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-216857) and incorporated herein by reference).      
                                                                                                             
   5.5  Opinion of Paul Hastings LLP (previously filed on March 7, 2018 as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registrants    
        Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-223503) and incorporated herein by reference).      
                                                                                                             
   5.6  Opinion of Paul Hastings LLP (previously filed on March 13, 2019 as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registrants   
        Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-230247) and incorporated herein by reference).      
                                                                                                             
   5.7  Opinion of Paul Hastings LLP (previously filed on February 26, 2020 as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registrants
        Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-236666) and incorporated herein by reference).      
                                                                                                             
   5.8  Opinion of Paul Hastings LLP (previously filed on February 17, 2021 as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registrants
        Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-253219) and incorporated herein by reference).      
                                                                                                             
   5.9  Opinion of Paul Hastings LLP (previously filed on February 9, 2022 as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registrants 
        Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-262609) and incorporated herein by reference).      
                                                                                                             
  5.10  Opinion of Paul Hastings LLP (previously filed on February 10, 2023 as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registrants
        Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-269675) and incorporated herein by reference).      
                                                                                                             
  5.11  Opinion of Paul Hastings LLP (previously filed on February 7, 2024 as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registrants 
        Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-276939) and incorporated herein by reference).      
                                                                                                             
 23.1*  Consent of Marcum LLP, Independent                                                                   
        Registered Public Accounting Firm.                                                                   
                                                                                                             
23.2**  Consent of Paul Hastings LLP is contained in                                                         
        Exhibit 5.1 to this Registration Statement.                                                          
                                                                                                             
  23.3  C                                                                                                    
        onsent of Paul Hastings LLP is contained in                                                          
        Exhibit 5.2 to this Registration Statement.                                                          
                                                                                                             
  23.4  Consent of Paul Hastings LLP is contained in                                                         
        Exhibit 5.3 to this Registration Statement.                                                          
                                                                                                             
  23.5  Consent of Paul Hastings LLP is contained in                                                         
        Exhibit 5.4 to this Registration Statement.                                                          
                                                                                                             
  23.6  Consent of Paul Hastings LLP is contained in                                                         
        Exhibit 5.5 to this Registration Statement.                                                          
                                                                                                             
  23.7  Consent of Paul Hastings LLP is contained in                                                         
        Exhibit 5.6 to this Registration Statement.                                                          
                                                                                                             
  23.8  Consent of Paul Hastings LLP is contained in                                                         
        Exhibit 5.7 to this Registration Statement.                                                          
                                                                                                             
  23.9  Consent of Paul Hastings LLP is contained in                                                         
        Exhibit 5.8 to this Registration Statement.                                                          
                                                                                                             
 23.10  Consent of Paul Hastings LLP is contained in                                                         
        Exhibit 5.9 to this Registration Statement.                                                          
                                                                                                             
 23.11  Consent of Paul Hastings LLP is contained in                                                         
        Exhibit 5.10 to this Registration Statement.                                                         
                                                                                                             
 23.12  Consent of Paul Hastings LLP is contained in                                                         
        Exhibit 5.11 to this Registration Statement.                                                         
                                                                                                             
24.1**  Power of Attorney.                                                                                   

* Filed herewith.
** Previously Filed.


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                                   SIGNATURES                                   
                                                                                
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant 
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the 
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Amendment No. 2 
to Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, 
thereunto duly authorized, in the City of San Diego, State of California, on 
May 22, 2024.


                                              
 Viking Therapeutics, Inc.                    
                                              
 By:    /s/ Brian Lian, Ph.D.                 
 Name:  Brian Lian, Ph.D.                     
 Title: President and Chief Executive Officer 



Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration 
Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on 
the dates indicated.


                                                                                       
       SIGNATURE                               TITLE                           DATE    
                                                                                       
/s/ Brian Lian, Ph.D.                                                                  
Brian Lian, Ph.D.         President, Chief Executive Officer and Director  May 22, 2024
                          (Principal Executive Officer)                                
/s/ Greg Zante                                                                         
Greg Zante                Chief Financial Officer                          May 22, 2024
                          (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)                 
*                                                                                      
Matthew W. Foehr          Director                                         May 22, 2024
                                                                                       
*                                                                                      
Lawson Macartney, Ph.D.   Director                                         May 22, 2024
                                                                                       
*                                                                                      
Sarah Kathryn Rouan       Director                                         May 22, 2024
                                                                                       
*                                                                                      
Charles A. Rowland Jr.    Director                                         May 22, 2024
                                                                                       
*                                                                                      
J. Matthew Singleton      Director                                         May 22, 2024
                                                                                       
*  /s/ Brian Lian, Ph.D.                                                               
   Brian Lian, Ph.D.                                                                   
   Attorney-in-Fact                                                                    



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                                                                    Exhibit 23.1
             Independent Registered Public Accounting Firms Consent             

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement of 
Viking Therapeutics, Inc. on the Post-Effective Amendment #1 to Form S-8 (File 
Nos. 333-203810, 333-211270, 333-216857, 333-223503, 333-230247, 333-236666, 
333-253219, 333-262609, 333-269675 and 333-276939) of our report dated 
February 7, 2024, with respect to our audits of the consolidated financial 
statements of Viking Therapeutics, Inc. as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 and 
for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 and our report dated February 
7, 2024 with respect to our audit of internal control over financial reporting 
of Viking Therapeutics, Inc. as of December 31, 2023 appearing in the Annual 
Report on Form 10-K of Viking Therapeutics, Inc. for the year ended December 
31, 2023.

/s/ Marcum
llp

Marcum
llp
Costa Mesa, California
May 22, 2024
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