Gilead Sciences has revised its 2026 sales forecast for Yeztugo (lenacapivir), its twice-yearly HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medication. Following a blockbuster first quarter, the company raised its outlook from $800 million to $1 billion, citing a launch performance that has exceeded all expectations.
Driving growth through convenience and persistence
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Q1 Performance: The long-acting injectable brought in $166 million in the first three months of the year. Chief Commercial Officer Johanna Mercier characterized this as an “unprecedented launch trajectory.”
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Competitive Edge: Yeztugo is successfully capturing market share from GSK’s Apretude (injected every two months) due to its less frequent twice-yearly dosing schedule.
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Patient Persistence: Gilead reported exceptionally high “come-back” rates for the second dose, which Mercier noted is significantly stronger than current competition in the marketplace.
Expanding the HIV footprint
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Market Dynamics: While much of the initial volume comes from patients switching from other PrEP options, Gilead is seeing growing momentum among PrEP-naïve individuals, particularly in underserved areas like the rural U.S. South.
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Overall HIV Portfolio: Combined HIV treatment and PrEP sales hit $5 billion in Q1, a 10% year-over-year increase. The flagship treatment Biktarvy continues to lead, generating $3.4 billion.
Future Outlook and Diversification
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Combination Therapies: Gilead is awaiting an August FDA decision for a once-daily single-tablet combination of lenacapivir and bictegravir, targeting the high-volume treatment switch market.
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Liver Disease and Oncology: Liver disease med Livdelzi saw sales jump 230% to $133 million. In oncology, following the $3.15 billion acquisition of Germany’s Tubulis, Gilead is banking on promising antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) candidates for ovarian and lung cancers.
Gilead forecasts total product sales for 2026 to land between $30 billion and $30.4 billion, with its HIV business expected to grow by 8%.