Latest news with #Gilead
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Gilead Sciences Stock Gains 21% YTD: Buy, Sell or Hold?
Biotech giant Gilead Sciences, Inc. GILD has put up a strong performance amid a volatile market. Shares of this biotech giant have gained 21.1% year to date against the industry's decline of 4.7%. The stock has outperformed the sector and the S&P 500 Index in this timeframe. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Gilead Sciences is a dominant player in the HIV market with market-leading treatments. Its diverse portfolio also includes drugs for liver, hematology/oncology and inflammation/respiratory diseases. Approval of new drugs, encouraging pipeline progress and positive data readouts have boosted investors' sentiment in the past six months. However, the oncology business is under pressure. Let's delve into GILD's strengths and weaknesses to analyze how to play the stock at present. Gilead's flagship drug, Biktarvy (bictegravir 50 mg/emtricitabine 200 mg/tenofovir alafenamide 25 mg, BIC/FTC/TAF), for HIV-1 infection has become the number-one prescribed regimen for both treatment-naïve and switch patients. Biktarvy accounts for over 51% share of the treatment market in the United States and should maintain momentum for GILD in the upcoming quarters. Descovy (FTC 200 mg/TAF 25 mg) for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is also witnessing good uptake. It maintains over 40% market share in the PrEP market in the United States. Gilead's efforts to innovate its HIV portfolio are impressive. Late-stage studies, PURPOSE 1 and PURPOSE 2, validated lenacapavir's potential to prevent HIV. The FDA accepted new drug application submissions for twice-yearly lenacapavir for HIV prevention under priority review, with a target action date of June 19, 2025. The European Medicines Agency validated the Marketing Authorization Application and EU-Medicines for All application for twice-yearly lenacapavir for HIV prevention. The successful development and potential approval of lenacapavir for the prevention of the disease should solidify Gilead's HIV franchise. Per GILD, lenacapavir, with its twice-yearly dosing, could set a new bar for HIV prevention and allow PrEP to reach a larger number of people who could benefit from a prevention regimen. The FDA approval of seladelpar for the treatment of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) has strengthened GILD's liver disease portfolio and validated its CymaBay acquisition. The drug's initial uptake is encouraging. The candidate was approved under the brand name Livdelzi. Gilead also recently received conditional marketing authorization from the European Commission for seladelpar for the treatment of PBC. Gilead's oncology portfolio, comprising the Cell Therapy franchise and breast cancer drug Trodelvy, has diversified its overall business. However, the Cell Therapy franchise, comprising Yescarta and Tecartus, is currently under pressure due to competitive headwinds in the United States and Europe that are expected to continue in 2025. Breast cancer drug Trodelvy's sales were lower than expected in the first quarter due to inventory dynamics. Gilead announced positive top-line results from the phase III ASCENT-03 study on Trodelvy, which showed highly statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in progression-free survival in patients with first-line metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC) who are not candidates for checkpoint inhibitors. The potential launch of anito-cel in multiple myeloma and Trodelvy in first-line mTNBC in 2026 will strengthen the company's oncology business. From a valuation standpoint, GILD is expensive. According to the price/earnings ratio, GILD's shares currently trade at 13.70x forward earnings, lower than the large-cap pharma industry's average of 14.62X but higher than its mean of Source: Zacks Investment Research Earnings estimates for GILD have moved north in the past 60 days. The bottom-line estimate for 2025 has increased to $7.91 from $7.87, while that for 2026 has improved to $8.39 from $8.31. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Large biotech companies are generally considered safe havens for investors interested in this sector as they are well equipped to weather the uncertain macroenvironment. GILD is one of the dominant players in the HIV market. Gilead's efforts to constantly innovate its HIV portfolio should enable it to maintain growth amid competition from GSK plc GSK. GILD has also collaborated with Merck MRK to evaluate the investigational combination of islatravir and lenacapavir for the treatment of HIV. The potential launch of lenacapavir for PrEP in 2025 will be a significant boost for the company. Gilead's strategic deals and acquisitions to diversify its business are encouraging. However, Biktarvy sales are expected to be under pressure due to Medicare Part D redesign, which, in turn, should impact overall HIV growth. Hence, we advise prospective investors to wait and watch how well Biktarvy and the oncology business combat the existing headwinds before making a positive investment decision. In addition, we believe investors should also wait for better entry levels. For investors already owning the stock, it's important to note that Gilead has been consistently increasing and paying out dividends. The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.79 per share of common stock for the second quarter of 2025. Its strong cash position (as of March 31, 2025, GILD had $7.9 billion of cash, cash equivalents and marketable debt securities) indicates that the current yield of 2.91% is sustainable. Gilead presently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report GSK PLC Sponsored ADR (GSK) : Free Stock Analysis Report Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) : Free Stock Analysis Report Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research
Elle
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Elle
'The Handmaid's Tale': Yvonne Strahovski Understands You Want Serena Joy To Die - But She Doesn't
For nearly a decade, Yvonne Strahovski has portrayed the complex, morally grey Serena Joy in The Handmaid's Tale. And much like the entire fanbase, Strahovski herself has a complicated relationship with her character As the show's audience knows all too well, Serena has evolved from a high-strung advocate for Gilead to a deeply conflicted and broken woman who has suffered at the hands of the misogynistic and oppressive system that she has massively contributed towards. Yet, in between the Australian actor's hectic schedule, she sits down with ELLE UK and admits that she had no issue with the idea of her character Serena meeting an early end - and that it could've happened as early as the start of the final series. FIND OUT MORE AT ELLE COLLECTIVE 'There were definitely discussions about Serena being dealt a different ending,' Strahovski says. 'There was talk about her getting killed off at the start of season six.'In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, The Handmaid's Tale creator Bruce Miller revealed his original vision for the character. 'I wanted to kill her,' he confessed. 'Because I think she was such a horrible person and being dead on the side of the road completely anonymously [after she was pushed from the train during the first episode of the season finale] would have been a fitting end. I had to be convinced not to throw her off that train, along with the kid.' However, for Strahvoski, the idea of Serena dying in such a way, lost and nameless, felt unworthy of the character she'd spent years inhabiting. From an actor's perspective, she appreciated Serena being kept alive, however, the viewer inside of her could have easily lived with a more dramatic exit. 'Naturally, I am tied to her as a character. She's so multi-layered, and she's one of those characters that is the epitome of the grey area, due to how nuanced she is,' she explains. 'I think I would have been okay with her going out in some kind of tragic blaze of glory kind of way. It would have been fitting, and even satisfying for the inner audience member within me.' Yet, Strahovski's feelings on this aren't entirely black and white, just like the nature of the character that she plays. 'I don't think I would have been as okay with her just dropping dead, anonymously, in a ditch off the train,' she admits. 'That would have felt pretty anti-climactic after all that's happened with her over the seasons.' While Strahovski could envision a more action-filled exit for her contentious character, the decision to keep her character alive does, in many ways, offers Serena another possibility of redemption - a question that Strahvoski grapples with. Does Serena deserve that? 'I'm not sure that she does,' the actor answers. 'Deep down, Serena believes she's good and does good, even though she doesn't, she's a bit of a narcissist.' As the series draws closer to its finale for UK audiences, Strahvoski debates whether Serena's actions can ever be truly forgiven. 'It's such a two-sided experience, this forgiveness thing... I'm not sure she deserves it.' In more ways than one, Strahovski's relationship with Serena can, at times, mirror the audiences own feelings of frustration and tension towards such a conflicting character. Whether Serena does die a tragic death or is offered redemption from the other characters, one thing is certain - not even a woman in Serena's position is free of the horrors of Gilead. ELLE Collective is a new community of fashion, beauty and culture lovers. For access to exclusive content, events, inspiring advice from our Editors and industry experts, as well the opportunity to meet designers, thought-leaders and stylists, become a member today HERE.
Elle
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Elle
'The Handmaid's Tale' Season 6, Episode 5 Recap: June And Moria's Undercover Mission Hits Some Snags
Spoilers below. If there is one thing June Osborne (Elisabeth Moss) knows on The Handmaid's Tale, it's that nothing ever goes according to plan in the fight against Gilead. But this uncertainty has made June an expert at adapting to tricky situations, which she puts into practice when the undercover mission to Jezebel's with Moira (Samira Wiley) hits major snags that require quick thinking from the pair. Given how tense it was between the best friends last week, it isn't surprising that this tension boils over in these fraught circumstances. FIND OUT MORE ON ELLE COLLECTIVE June and Moira aren't the only ones finding themselves in a tricky predicament; Nick (Max Minghella) has to clean up a mess of his own making, and Commander Lawrence (Bradley Whitford) isn't as popular as he thought he was. Plus, Serena (Yvonne Strahovski) receives a surprise offer that could change her entire trajectory in the final season. Getting into Jezebel's is easy. There is nothing unusual about two Marthas arriving in a delivery van (Luke is the driver), and it helps that Moira and June's faces are partially covered, which are now part of the uniform. The plan is to find Janine (Madeline Brewer), tell her about the Mayday plan to assassinate commanders in the penthouse, and then get out unnoticed. Sounds simple enough, but when they try to locate Janine, they learn that the commanders are making an unscheduled visit to Jezebel's. Rather than bail, June talks their way upstairs under the guise of making final preparations for the commanders. Time and circumstances lead to a more muted reunion, but Janine's face still lights up when she finds out a rescue and assassination plan is in motion. Janine gives June a keycard to one of the bedrooms, telling them to wait until she can slip away. Upon arriving, Commander Bell (Timothy Simons) tells the Martha pair to 'get your ugly butts out'. He also uses the spilled champagne to humiliate one of the Marthas, telling June to kneel and clean his pants. Lawrence stops this, and June purposefully turns her face away so he can't see her eyes. Yet, Lawrence has the look of recognition (but can't put his finger on why) as she walks away. June tells Moria that Lawrence's attendance is a surprise, as he 'was never a Jezebel's guy'. Maybe she doesn't know him as well as she thinks she does? Later, emotions run high when June tells Janine the plan details. Janine has letters the other women have written to their families for June to deliver. To aid their operation, Janine gives an updated map of the private elevator and the pass code. In the heat of the moment, June tells Janine to leave with them today, and someone else can coordinate with the other women. Janine says she can't 'leave without my girls' and will wait a week until Mayday comes in, guns blazing. After Janine leaves, Moira lets June know how irresponsible that was. June admits that the impulsive offer was her way of making up for her leaving Janine in Chicago. But if Janine had gone with them, security at Jezebel's would be impossible to penetrate, and the main plan would fail. June mentions how guilty she feels, leading Moira to vent her pent-up frustrations against her BFF. 'Your guilt. Your feelings. Your friends. Your trauma. You, you, you, you. Do you have any idea how fucking sick of you I am?!' This confrontation has been a long time coming, as June is always the center of everything. Moira raises multiple valid points. 'Do I get to have PTSD? Do I get to have guilt? Friends? Trauma?' Moira continues. Moira is living in a nightmare too, yet it is always about June. As they compare their horrifying experiences, the conversation starts with anger, followed by laughter, and then understanding. The mood quickly shifts once more because as Moira and June are making up, a guardian comes into the room and finds the materials Janine left behind. He locks the letters and map in a safe and will only give them back after he has raped both women. The Handmaid's Tale is at its most horrifying when it goes from memories of abuse and rape to it happening in real time. Moira fights back with June quickly joining in, and with two against one, they overpower the guardian. Moira wraps a phone cord around his neck, killing the man. But they can't get the letters and map out of the safe, and the dead body will definitely put an end to the plan. Moira quickly thinks of an alternative solution to buy them time. They wheel his body to the incinerator in the basement in the laundry, and are disposing of the remains when the guardian check-in call comes over the radio. The pair doesn't have long to get out before a complete lockdown. Unfortunately, security stops Luke (O-T Fagbenle) from making a pickup, and they have to find an alternative escape. Luckily, Lawrence is leaving in his car, and June uses her gut that he is the man she thought he was. 'Ah, hell no,' says Lawrence when she steps out in front of his car. June begs him to take her and Moira, and he relents. They get in the trunk, but don't know if he can get them out of Gilead. Are they stuck here? Perhaps Lawrence should've listened to his wife, Naomi (Ever Carradine), who said that the high commanders associate virility with power. At Jezebel's, Lawrence keeps up appearances, but still thinks his reforms are the key to power. First, he overrules Bell when it comes to Janine telling the high commander he is 'a pig' and 'no one here likes you, no one, and no one respects you.' Bell might be vile, yet he still has the ear of the other men. When Janine takes Lawrence into the adjoining bedroom, she reveals a peephole that the girls of Jezebel's use to get an idea of the men they are dealing with. Janine also tells Lawrence, 'You're not a good guy,' but he is in comparison to the other high commanders. She then makes her excuses before heading to see June and Moira. Lawrence's eyes are opened when he learns he is part of a long con to get as many people back to Gilead before they close New Bethlehem and the borders, and the country returns to its harshest practices. Lawrence will be blamed, and then Bell will want to see him on the wall. The others are hesitant about the latter, but Bell convinces them it is the way forward. Lawrence takes his glasses off in disbelief. Mayday might just have a new ally in the making. Commander Wharton (Josh Charles) checks in with Nick about the busy day in New Bethlehem, as 26 more families reunite?. The question of security comes up, and Nick says it is his highest priority, so Wharton wants to know what he is doing about the two guardians who were shot in no man's land by rebels, as it was an 'alarming breach' on Nick's watch. Nick is surprised to learn that one of the men is recovering from being shot point-blank, and tries to sound happy about it. Nick was the man who pulled the trigger (to aid June, Luke, and Moira's escape), and must keep this involvement from his father-in-law (and everyone else in Gilead). Nick visits Toby, the surviving guardian, in hospital, and is warmly greeted by Toby's mother. Though Toby has been mumbling so far, the chances of a full recovery are slim. Nick tells his mother to take a break, offering to stay with Toby. She calls Nick an angel, but little does she know the commander is the culprit. After she has gone, Toby's heart rate goes up when he sees Nick, suggesting recognition. However, he says something unrelated about his dog. Nick briefly leaves, but returns to the room as it is far too dangerous for him to leave a loose end. We don't see Nick killing Toby, but the locked door and ominous music suggest Toby will not be identifying the person who shot him. What is doing the right thing in Gilead? How can someone make up for all their wrongs? Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd) continues to make a case for saving Janine and the other former handmaids from Jezebel's, turning to Serena for help. Lydia says that her girls suffered greatly in Serena's house, and Serena replies that they also suffered greatly in Lydia's house. Neither is wrong—the unifying factor in Gilead is hypocrisy. Serena thinks opening a fertility clinic in New Bethlehem could be a suitable place for former handmaids to be assigned, as fertility is a handmaid's brand (Lydia bristles at this wording, calling it a 'divine calling'). During Lydia's visit, Serena receives a giant bouquet, and Lydia wants to know if Serena is going dancing with Commander Wharton again. Serena tries to play it down, but the commander wants to see her before he goes back to Washington for work. Wharton has a big gesture planned under the guise of picking a new name for the library. A mock-up reveals his preferred choice is the 'Serena Joy & Gabriel Wharton Library'. Yep, this is a proposal, and it catches Serena off guard. She didn't come back to be a wife. Wharton reassures her he will be everything Fred was not, and she doesn't have to move or stop working. The influential high commanders want to change the world together, convincing Serena that this will be a true partnership. Wharton gets down on one knee, and Serena says yes. Like June, Lawrence, and Nick, she makes a gut decision. Will she regret returning to this path? Only time will tell. ELLE Collective is a new community of fashion, beauty and culture lovers. For access to exclusive content, events, inspiring advice from our Editors and industry experts, as well the opportunity to meet designers, thought-leaders and stylists, become a member today HERE. Emma Fraser is a freelance culture writer with a focus on TV, movies, and costume design. You can find her talking about all of these things on Twitter.
Straits Times
16 hours ago
- Health
- Straits Times
Gilead commits to HIV prevention rollout for low-income countries despite funding uncertainty
Gilead Sciences says it still plans to supply its twice-yearly injection for preventing HIV infection in low-income countries if it wins U.S. approval despite funding uncertainty over the Trump Administration's pullback in aid spending. Some AIDS experts, including activists and doctors, say the Gilead drug, lenacapavir, could help end the 44-year-old epidemic that infects 1.3 million people a year and is estimated by the World Health Organization to have killed more than 42 million. An FDA approval decision is expected by June 19 for lenacapavir, which proved to be nearly 100% effective at preventing HIV in large trials. If the Food and Drug Administration green lights the drug, and its view is seconded by the WHO, the shots could start to roll out early in 2026 to at least 2 million people in 18 low-income countries based on Gilead's agreement with the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Global Fund, a worldwide partnership targeting HIV, tuberculosis and malaria. Gilead agreed to provide lenacapavir at cost for two-to-three years while six generic drugmakers, which were granted licenses to make the medicine for low-income countries, ramp up production. Experts said a successful launch of a long-acting HIV prevention drug could help stall the epidemic. Until recently, the only pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) options for people at high risk of infection were daily pills, requiring careful adherence to be effective. "You can foresee a day where there are no new HIV diagnoses. It doesn't happen if we only do this in the U.S.," Gilead Chief Commercial Officer Johanna Mercier said. "We need to make sure we have a global approach to this launch." PEPFAR being part of the effort is Gilead's intent and goal, Mercier said. "Unfortunately, if they're not part of that mix, our goal is still to meet that objective of 2 million people getting access." Wall Street has a close eye on lenacapavir, one of the highest-profile drugs to undergo FDA review since President Donald Trump named Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as health secretary and promised to upend the status quo. Most of the drug's profits are expected in the U.S., with annual sales reaching $1 billion by next year, according to analysts' estimates compiled by LSEG. 'INCREDIBLE DISMAY' Whether all of the agreed funding for low-income countries - most of which are in Africa - will come through is unclear. Countries that rely on aid are already reeling from funding cuts by the Trump Administration, including to PEPFAR, and AIDS researchers are bracing for the worst. The United Nations program on HIV/AIDS earlier this month said many HIV prevention programs supported by PEPFAR were stalled, although services for pregnant and breastfeeding women were technically exempt from the cuts. Peter Sands, executive director of the Global Fund, told Reuters the group intends to fund as much of the lenacapavir rollout as possible, but it will need to start slowly. "It's not just the uncertainty over PEPFAR's funding that's an issue, but the uncertainty over our funding," Sands said, adding that the group's first priority is treating people already infected with the deadly virus. Much will depend on the success of the Global Fund's effort to raise $18 billion to fund its work from 2027-2029. The U.S. is its largest donor, committing $6 billion in the previous funding round. It is unclear what the U.S. may provide this round, or whether other big governments will step up. UNAIDS estimates that the permanent discontinuation of HIV prevention and treatment programs supported by PEPFAR would lead to an additional 6.6 million new HIV infections between 2025 and 2029. The U.S. State Department, which oversees PEPFAR, did not respond to a request for comment. Gilead declined to comment on its manufacturing cost for lenacapavir, whose U.S. price is likely to be on par with current preventive medications at around $25,000 per year. ViiV Healthcare's Apretude, an injection given every two months, costs about 124.20 pounds ($168) in low- and middle-income countries. Mitchell Warren, executive director of the AIDS nonprofit AVAC, estimates the eventual annual cost at $100-$120. The lower the price, the more people who could receive it, he said. Warren said PEPFAR could still participate, and others may come forward. The Gates Foundation and the Children's Investment Fund Foundation are "actively involved in all of these conversations," he said, as is the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Linda-Gail Bekker of the University of Cape Town, who led lenacapavir clinical trials in South Africa and Uganda, said she was elated when she first saw the findings. "The huge feeling I have now is one of incredible dismay," said Bekker of uncertainty over the Trump administration's commitment to PEPFAR and HIV prevention in poor nations. "It felt like the stars were aligning, and one of the stars has fallen out of the sky." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hindustan Times
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
The Handmaid's Tale Season 6 is a beautiful, but a bleak farewell to Gilead
Based on Margaret Atwood's iconic 1985 novel, The Handmaid's Tale imagined a dystopian theocracy called Gilead, born from the ashes of a crumbling United States. The novel served as a chilling warning against authoritarianism, and when it got adapted it into a series in 2017, the show quickly became a cultural touchstone — eerily echoing rising global anxieties. Over the last eight years, the show has expanded well beyond Atwood's original material, chronicling a brutal struggle for freedom in a world that doesn't easily allow it. Now, with its sixth and final season, the series reaches a sobering, if not entirely satisfying, conclusion. The final season of The Handmaid's Tale attempts to tighten its narrative and steer the sprawling chaos of earlier seasons toward closure. While visually stunning and often emotionally resonant, the show continues its frustrating cycle of pain and resistance. It is a powerful end, but one that also reminds us of the show's own narrative loops. As the last chapter begins, June Osborne (Elisabeth Moss) and Serena Joy (Yvonne Strahovski) find themselves fleeing Canada, boarding a train to Alaska — one of the last safe havens in what remains of the United States. Their temporary alignment is both tense and oddly reflective, as both women carry scars and babies from their time in Gilead. Meanwhile, back in the regime, Commander Lawrence (Bradley Whitford) presses ahead with New Bethlehem — a so-called reformed Gilead — while Nick (Max Minghella), still torn between duty and love, rises in the ranks. The ever-elusive goal of rescuing June's daughter Hannah looms, still painfully out of reach. As characters navigate betrayal, false hope, and fleeting alliances, the show pushes toward a reckoning — not with Gilead itself, but with what freedom truly means. Even in its final stretch, the show retains the high production values and haunting cinematography that have defined it. Elisabeth Moss delivers yet another layered, powerful performance — one that captures June's weariness, rage, and dogged resilience. Moss also directs several episodes, including the finale, bringing a sharp, personal lens to the show's emotional core. The visual symbolism remains striking, if heavy-handed — light for hope, shadow for despair. Scenes between June and Serena crackle with tension, their twisted history and shared motherhood offering moments of psychological complexity. And the season's focus on systemic compromise — like Canada's willingness to appease Gilead for trade benefits — adds timely political nuance. These instances of moral grayness are among the show's sharpest. And yet, The Handmaid's Tale continues to suffer from a lack of forward momentum. The sixth season opens with the promise of change, even self-awareness, as the characters head toward a new frontier. But almost immediately, the narrative falls back into its familiar loop: moments of escape followed by new, soul-crushing obstacles. June's path, once revolutionary, now feels cyclic and exhausting. Likewise, Serena's arc, despite Strahovski's excellent performance, circles back to ambiguity rather than resolution. The show often teases evolution only to retreat to well-worn tropes — children as symbols, men plotting in shadowy rooms, women clinging to slivers of sunlight. Subplots, like those involving Moira or the colonies, often feel like afterthoughts. The series' emotional brutality remains unrelenting, and after six seasons, it borders on numbing. Season six of The Handmaid's Tale is as elegantly crafted and agonizingly grim as ever. It reflects a world where hope is not a climax, but a flickering light barely kept alive. While the final episodes offer glimpses of closure, they are not interested in catharsis. That's both the show's strength and its greatest weakness. As a farewell, it's fittingly bleak — a mirror held up to our own troubled times. But for a series that once felt like urgent prophecy, its ending may leave viewers not so much stirred as simply relieved that the nightmare is finally over.
