Topic: How To Invest

Q: What is your recommendation on Gilead Sciences, including the potential for its Remdesivir drug to fight COVID-19? Thanks.

Article Excerpt

A: Gilead Sciences Inc., $75.33, symbol GILD on Nasdaq (Shares outstanding: 1.3 billion; Market cap: $95.6 billion; www.gilead.com), is a biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, and commercializes medicines for a variety of conditions and diseases. The company was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Foster City, California. Gilead’s wide-ranging portfolio of patent-protected drug treatments include Atripla, Biktarvy, and Complera for HIV; Epclusa, Harvoni, and Hepsera for Hepatitis C and liver disease; Yescarta and Zydelig, two oncology drugs; Letairis, for pulmonary arterial hypertension; Ranexa, for chronic angina; Tamilflu, an anti-viral; and AmBisome, an antifungal. Despite plunging markets, Gilead’s stock price is up over 12% since the start of 2020 mostly on news that its Remdesivir drug, may be an effective treatment for COVID-19. Remdesivir is an antiviral developed for Ebola and for Marburg virus infections. Gilead has initiated two phase-III studies to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Remdesivir for COVID-19. Those trials should begin to generate findings in April 2020. Gilead’s revenues…