Viking Therapeutics (NASDAQ: VKTX) and Nano-X Imaging (NASDAQ: NNOX) are two small-cap healthcare companies with lots of potential, but their shares come with some hefty risks. They've also both been hot in 2023, rising more than 90% year to date. So which is the better stock to buy right now?

A key question for growth investors is just how much of a payoff there might be from an investment. Viking Therapeutics is attempting to develop treatments for some serious conditions.

One of those treatment candidates is VK2809, which aims to address non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NASH involves inflammation of the liver and can lead to serious complications (including cancer). The medical community believes it may affect up to 5% of the world's population. With such a large addressable market, the company estimates that peak annual revenue for VK2809 -- assuming it earns approval -- could top $3.6 billion in 2038.

Continue reading

Source Fool.com