Scientific Leadership: Gilead's Innovative HIV Portfolio and Pipeline

Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) has consistently demonstrated its commitment to scientific leadership in the fight against HIV, with a broad and innovative portfolio and pipeline focused on addressing unmet needs in HIV treatment and prevention. The company's latest research data, presented at various conferences, highlights its dedication to continuous biomedical innovation and person-centered drug development strategies.
Gilead's HIV treatment portfolio and pipeline showcase a range of dosing strategies, from once-daily to twice-yearly, aiming to enhance patient adherence and viral suppression. The once-daily combination of bictegravir and lenacapavir, evaluated in the ARTISTRY-1 study, demonstrated robust virologic suppression at six months with consistently low viral loads. None of the participants in the lower-dose lenacapavir group or the stable baseline regimen group experienced viral load rebound. The once-weekly oral combination regimen of lenacapavir and islatravir, presented at CROI 2023, also showed promising results in maintaining virologic suppression. The twice-yearly injectable HIV-1 capsid inhibitor, lenacapavir, for HIV prevention, showed high efficacy and maintained virologic suppression for six months in a Phase 1b study. These dosing strategies offer potential benefits in terms of patient adherence and viral suppression, contributing to Gilead's leadership in HIV treatment.
Gilead's long-term data on Biktarvy, a single-tablet regimen, reinforces its role as a durable and safe treatment option for diverse HIV populations. A five-year study showed that Biktarvy maintained high rates of virologic suppression in Hispanic/Latine people with HIV, with 100% of Hispanic/Latine participants and 98.1% of non-Hispanic/Latine participants maintaining undetectable status. No treatment-emergent resistance was detected. Additionally, the BICSTaR study demonstrated that Biktarvy maintained high levels of virologic suppression in older adults with comorbidities, with 96% of individuals maintaining an undetectable viral load two years after switching to the regimen. These results highlight Biktarvy's efficacy and safety in various patient populations, supporting its role as a long-term treatment option.
Gilead's research into long-acting combination regimens, like the investigational combination of lenacapavir with broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs), holds significant potential for transforming HIV treatment and prevention strategies. These regimens could offer more convenient and less frequent dosing options, enhancing adherence and reducing the pill burden for people living with HIV. By exploring different administration methods and dosing frequencies, Gilead aims to provide more options that could help individuals achieve sustained viral suppression, further reducing the transmissible virus pool at the population level. The success of these long-acting combinations could also expand the toolkit for HIV prevention, potentially offering new options for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).
In conclusion, Gilead Sciences' commitment to scientific leadership in the HIV space is evident in its broad and innovative portfolio and pipeline. The company's focus on person-centered drug development strategies, varied dosing frequencies, and long-acting combination regimens positions it well to continue addressing unmet needs in HIV treatment and prevention. As the global fight against HIV continues, Gilead's leadership in this field is crucial for achieving the goal of ending the epidemic.