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The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights Gilead Sciences, Merck and GSK
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For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – June 17, 2026 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD - Free Report) , Merck (MRK - Free Report) and GSK plc (GSK - Free Report) .
Here are highlights from Tuesday’s Analyst Blog:
FDA Accepts Gilead's Filing for Weekly Oral HIV Prevention
Gilead Sciences, Inc. announced that the FDA has accepted its supplemental new drug application (sNDA) for Yeztugo (lenacapavir) 300-mg tablets as a potential once-weekly oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) option for HIV prevention.
The FDA has set a target action date of Feb. 2, 2027.
We note that Yeztugo (lenacapavir) twice-yearly injection is already approved in the United States for PrEP to reduce the risk of sexually acquired HIV-1 in adults and adolescents who are at risk for HIV-1 acquisition.
Gilead’s shares have gained 1.3% year to date against the industry's decline of 1.3%.
More on GILD’s Once Weekly Yeztugo
The submission is supported by data from the PURPOSE 1 and PURPOSE 2 studies, which demonstrated strong efficacy of lenacapavir for HIV prevention across diverse populations, including cisgender women, cisgender men and gender-diverse individuals.
Oral lenacapavir tablets are already part of the approved Yeztugo regimen as a loading dose and as temporary bridge therapy when the twice-yearly injectable schedule is delayed.
GILD is seeking to build on lenacapavir’s established clinical profile by expanding its long-acting HIV prevention portfolio with new formulations.
The company aims to increase access to PrEP by offering prevention options tailored to diverse patient preferences and needs. If approved, once-weekly oral Yeztugo would provide an additional, convenient PrEP alternative, reflecting the view that HIV prevention requires a range of individualized approaches.
GILD’s Efforts to Diversify Portfolio
Gilead maintains a leading position in the HIV market, anchored by its flagship products, Biktarvy for HIV treatment and Descovy for HIV prevention. Biktarvy is a once-daily, single-tablet regimen that combines bictegravir, a potent integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI), with the Descovy backbone of emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide.
The approval of Yeztugo in 2025 has further strengthened Gilead’s HIV portfolio. Unlike traditional daily oral PrEP medications, Yeztugo is administered just twice a year, offering a more convenient prevention option for many patients.
Driven by strong first-quarter sales and favorable market uptake, Gilead recently increased its 2026 sales forecast for Yeztugo to $1 billion, putting the drug on track to attain blockbuster status in its first full year following its launch.
The company’s HIV business also benefits from a lengthy exclusivity runway, with no major patent expirations expected before 2036. Combined with plans to introduce as many as seven new HIV therapies by 2033, Gilead appears well positioned to sustain long-term growth in its core HIV franchise.
GILD has also collaborated with Merck to advance its HIV pipeline further.
Gilead and Merck recently reported positive results from the phase III ISLEND-1 and ISLEND-2 studies evaluating an investigational once-weekly oral single-tablet regimen combining islatravir and lenacapavir for HIV treatment.
The regimen pairs Merck’s islatravir, a next-generation nucleoside analog that suppresses HIV replication through multiple mechanisms, including reverse transcriptase translocation inhibition, with Gilead’s long-acting capsid inhibitor lenacapavir.
Both trials achieved their primary efficacy endpoint at week 48, supporting the potential of a convenient once-weekly treatment option. Following these results, the partners plan to submit the ISLEND data to global regulatory agencies and present detailed findings at an upcoming scientific meeting.
Beyond the Merck partnership, Gilead continues to advance its wholly owned HIV pipeline. Earlier this year, the company reported promising phase I results for GS-3242, a long-acting integrase inhibitor. Additional data expected later in 2026 could pave the way for a twice-yearly injectable regimen combining GS-3242 with lenacapavir, further strengthening Gilead’s HIV portfolio.
Approval of additional better treatments should bolster GILD’s HIV franchise in the wake of increasing competition from the likes of GSK plc.
GSK continues to grow its HIV business, driven by strong patient demand for long-acting injectable medicines (Cabenuva and Apretude) and Dovato. The solid growth from these drugs has helped GSK combat the decline in Triumeq sales.
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Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.
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The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights Gilead Sciences, Merck and GSK
For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – June 17, 2026 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD - Free Report) , Merck (MRK - Free Report) and GSK plc (GSK - Free Report) .
Here are highlights from Tuesday’s Analyst Blog:
FDA Accepts Gilead's Filing for Weekly Oral HIV Prevention
Gilead Sciences, Inc. announced that the FDA has accepted its supplemental new drug application (sNDA) for Yeztugo (lenacapavir) 300-mg tablets as a potential once-weekly oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) option for HIV prevention.
The FDA has set a target action date of Feb. 2, 2027.
We note that Yeztugo (lenacapavir) twice-yearly injection is already approved in the United States for PrEP to reduce the risk of sexually acquired HIV-1 in adults and adolescents who are at risk for HIV-1 acquisition.
Gilead’s shares have gained 1.3% year to date against the industry's decline of 1.3%.
More on GILD’s Once Weekly Yeztugo
The submission is supported by data from the PURPOSE 1 and PURPOSE 2 studies, which demonstrated strong efficacy of lenacapavir for HIV prevention across diverse populations, including cisgender women, cisgender men and gender-diverse individuals.
Oral lenacapavir tablets are already part of the approved Yeztugo regimen as a loading dose and as temporary bridge therapy when the twice-yearly injectable schedule is delayed.
GILD is seeking to build on lenacapavir’s established clinical profile by expanding its long-acting HIV prevention portfolio with new formulations.
The company aims to increase access to PrEP by offering prevention options tailored to diverse patient preferences and needs. If approved, once-weekly oral Yeztugo would provide an additional, convenient PrEP alternative, reflecting the view that HIV prevention requires a range of individualized approaches.
GILD’s Efforts to Diversify Portfolio
Gilead maintains a leading position in the HIV market, anchored by its flagship products, Biktarvy for HIV treatment and Descovy for HIV prevention. Biktarvy is a once-daily, single-tablet regimen that combines bictegravir, a potent integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI), with the Descovy backbone of emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide.
The approval of Yeztugo in 2025 has further strengthened Gilead’s HIV portfolio. Unlike traditional daily oral PrEP medications, Yeztugo is administered just twice a year, offering a more convenient prevention option for many patients.
Driven by strong first-quarter sales and favorable market uptake, Gilead recently increased its 2026 sales forecast for Yeztugo to $1 billion, putting the drug on track to attain blockbuster status in its first full year following its launch.
The company’s HIV business also benefits from a lengthy exclusivity runway, with no major patent expirations expected before 2036. Combined with plans to introduce as many as seven new HIV therapies by 2033, Gilead appears well positioned to sustain long-term growth in its core HIV franchise.
GILD has also collaborated with Merck to advance its HIV pipeline further.
Gilead and Merck recently reported positive results from the phase III ISLEND-1 and ISLEND-2 studies evaluating an investigational once-weekly oral single-tablet regimen combining islatravir and lenacapavir for HIV treatment.
The regimen pairs Merck’s islatravir, a next-generation nucleoside analog that suppresses HIV replication through multiple mechanisms, including reverse transcriptase translocation inhibition, with Gilead’s long-acting capsid inhibitor lenacapavir.
Both trials achieved their primary efficacy endpoint at week 48, supporting the potential of a convenient once-weekly treatment option. Following these results, the partners plan to submit the ISLEND data to global regulatory agencies and present detailed findings at an upcoming scientific meeting.
Gilead Sciences, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Gilead Sciences, Inc. Quote
Beyond the Merck partnership, Gilead continues to advance its wholly owned HIV pipeline. Earlier this year, the company reported promising phase I results for GS-3242, a long-acting integrase inhibitor. Additional data expected later in 2026 could pave the way for a twice-yearly injectable regimen combining GS-3242 with lenacapavir, further strengthening Gilead’s HIV portfolio.
Approval of additional better treatments should bolster GILD’s HIV franchise in the wake of increasing competition from the likes of GSK plc.
GSK continues to grow its HIV business, driven by strong patient demand for long-acting injectable medicines (Cabenuva and Apretude) and Dovato. The solid growth from these drugs has helped GSK combat the decline in Triumeq sales.
GILD’s Zacks Rank
Gilead currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Free: Instant Access to Zacks' Market-Crushing Strategies
Since 2000, our top stock-picking strategies have blown away the S&P's +7.7% average gain per year. Amazingly, they soared with average gains of +48.4%, +50.2% and +56.7% per year.
Today you can tap into those powerful strategies – and the high-potential stocks they uncover – free. No strings attached.
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Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.