Gilead's Earnings Skyrocket as Florida’s AIDS Drug Program Falters, says AHF

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--While Gilead is raking in blowout profits, many state AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs) can no longer afford the high prices of its HIV medications. State support programs are scrambling to contain costs as financial analysts await the company’s earnings call for the first quarter of 2026 (Earnings Call, Thursday, May 7^th). Low-income patients that rely on state assistance will not share the good news expected by investors.

Last year, HIV product sales were the driving force behind the company’s revenue, accounting for 72% of total sales. Sales of treatments for people living with HIV were up 6% from 2024, totaling $20.8 billion. Biktarvy sales saw a 7% jump from the prior year, generating $14.3 billion in revenue. In 2025, Gilead’s premier HIV medication regimen cost $61,000 for a year of treatment. The prohibitive cost is making the treatment preferred by the majority of patients and their medical prescribers unaffordable for state assistance programs.

Florida is the first state to completely remove Biktarvy from its drug formulary, but likely will not be the last. In fact, 19 states are projecting budget deficits for the upcoming fiscal year. Cost containment measures are the new norm; fiscal reality means states will cover older, less effective drugs for the patients most in need.

Analysts expect a hefty 52% year-over-year earnings per share jump for Gilead in the first quarter of 2026. The prediction is little solace to the low-income patients receiving drugs from lifeline support programs.

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the world’s largest HIV/AIDS healthcare organization, provides cutting-edge medicine and advocacy to more than 2.9 million individuals across 50 countries, including the U.S. and in Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region, and Eastern Europe. In January 2025, AHF received the MLK, Jr. Social Justice Award, The King Center’s highest recognition for an organization leading work in the social justice arena. To learn more about AHF, visit us online at AIDShealth.org, find us on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.