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Gilead's Viread: Smoothing the Path to Success

 
• By Melanie Senior

Gilead's successful European rollout of Viread was helped by the homogeneity and high concentration of the European HIV treatment market. Viread has in turn catalyzed the integration of Gilead's hitherto fragmented European operations. The US biotech can now exploit its strong European network to secure in-licensing candidates and maximize profits from in-house follow-ons.

As a first step in its ambition to become a global biotech player, Gilead Sciences Inc. laid the foundations of its now well-established European business through buying NeXstar in 1999 [See Deal]. (See "Gilead's Global Logic," IN VIVO, March 2002 Also see "Gilead's Global Logic" - In Vivo, 1 March, 2002..) What it got wasn't perfect. NeXstar comprised a series of poorly integrated businesses, each following a different strategy and making individual product submissions locally. But it did have anti-fungal treatment amphotericin B (AmBisome), and a keen sales force that was prepared to stay on, given Gilead's willingness to invest.

Most importantly, Gilead acquired a base onto which it could build a new sales team for its own forthcoming HIV...

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UK Bets On Regulatory Innovation As Competitive Advantage In Synthetic Biology

 
• By David Wild

The UK government has prioritized synthetic biology and created a "concierge service" for biotechs just as the US cuts science funding.

Chinese Firms Build Obesity Clinical Pipeline But Face Wider Hurdles

 
• By Xu Hu

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Unpacking The Impact Of Trump’s Tariffs On Drug Pricing And Production

 
• By Ed Silverman

Big pharma plans to invest billions of dollars in US manufacturing to avoid tariffs proposed by the Trump Administration. However, the implementation of these plans may be delayed due to regulatory complexities and rising costs from tariffs, potentially impacting drug prices for consumers.

Barcelona’s S2 Xpeed Accelerates Hardware-Based Medtech Start-Ups From Prototype To Market

 
• By Marion Webb

S2 Xpeed is driving the rapid growth of medtech and hardware start-ups in Europe. Operating under a "sweat equity" model, the program helps early-stage companies move from prototype to manufacturing readiness in exchange for equity.

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AI In Health Delivery: Patients Most Confident When HCPs Are In Charge

 
• By Ashley Yeo

Annual survey of patients and professionals shows how attitudes to health system transformation are evolving and what stakeholders are demanding as acceptance of AI tools accelerates.

Medtech Innovators Court London-Based Investors At BioWales 2025

 
• By Ashley Yeo

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Rising Leaders 2025: Metsera’s Whit Bernard’s Musical Path To Biotech Leadership

 
• By David Wild

Metsera CEO Whit Bernard applies an unconventional leadership philosophy to develop next-generation obesity therapeutics, including monthly GLP-1 injections and oral peptides.