Gilead Sciences Inc (GILD.O) said Monday that its HIV treatment in testing worked as well as its top-selling drug, Biktarvy. The company believes this once-a-day pill could offer more choices and help people with HIV keep the virus under control for a long time. The company’s stock went up 2% before the market opened.
The testing looked at a combo pill with bictegravir and lenacapavir in people whose HIV was already under control. Some switched to the new pill, while others stayed on Biktarvy. Gilead said the new pill was safe and did not cause any safety issues during testing.
Bictegravir stops the virus from copying itself. Lenacapavir is in Gilead’s Sunlenca and Yeztugo, a shot given twice a year to help stop HIV in adults and teens. Combining these in one daily pill could make things easier for patients.
The experimental pill also performed as well as other HIV pills in another test. This suggests it could be a simpler way to treat HIV. Gilead plans to share all the data from both tests next year and then ask for permission to sell the pill.
Experts believe this could be important for people with HIV, especially those who want something easier to take without weakening the treatment. This also shows that Gilead is still working to make HIV treatments that are safe, easy, and effective.
