Regulatory Milestone Boosts Gilead’s Presence in Liver Disease Care

Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD) is included among the Top 10 Income Stocks with the Highest Upside Potential.

On May 22, Reuters reported that Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD) said its experimental drug for a rare and potentially fatal liver infection had received US approval. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Hepcludex for the treatment of chronic hepatitis delta virus (HDV), a liver disease that affects people already infected with hepatitis B. The disease can lead to liver scarring, cancer, organ failure, and death.

According to the company, an estimated 40,000 to 80,000 people in the United States are living with HDV. Wendy Carter, acting director of the Office of Infectious Diseases in FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, made the following statement:

“Today’s approval fills a critical gap in care for patients with chronic HDV infection, who until now have had no FDA-approved therapies available.”

Data from a late-stage clinical trial supported the approval. About 48% of patients who received Hepcludex showed a meaningful improvement after 48 weeks, compared with 2% of patients whose treatment was delayed. The trial also showed that the virus became undetectable in patients the longer they remained on Hepcludex.

Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on advancing medicines to prevent and treat life-threatening diseases.

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