Gilead Sciences Stockholders Clear the Way for 2-for-1 Stock Split

Foster City, CA -- February 2, 2001

Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) announced today its stockholders have approved an increase in the number of authorized shares of its Common Stock from 100,000,000 to 500,000,000, enabling the company to complete a two-for-one stock split of the Common Stock. The vote was taken today at a Special Meeting of Stockholders.

The stock split will be effected through a stock dividend of one share for each share of Common Stock outstanding for all stockholders of record on the close of business on February 2, 2001. As a result of the stock split, the number of outstanding shares of Gilead's Common Stock will increase to approximately 94,335,000.

"We are excited by the opportunity to broaden Gilead's stockholder base and to increase the liquidity of the company's shares," said John C. Martin, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer, Gilead Sciences. "Along with recent additions to our product portfolio, the stock split represents an important milestone in the company's continued development into one of the leading biopharmaceutical companies worldwide."

Stockholders who hold their stock in a brokerage account will receive their new shares through their broker. Stockholders who maintain physical possession of their stock certificates will have their additional shares mailed or delivered on or about February 21, 2001, by the company's transfer agent, Mellon Investor Services L.L.C. The company's stock will begin trading at the post-split price on Thursday, February 22, 2001. Any shares traded between February 2 and February 22 will come with a "due-bill" entitling the buyer to one additional share for each share purchased.

Gilead SciencesGilead Sciences, Inc., headquartered in Foster City, CA, is an independent biopharmaceutical company that seeks to provide accelerated solutions for patients and the people who care for them. Gilead discovers, develops, manufactures and commercializes proprietary therapeutics for challenging infectious diseases (viral, fungal and bacterial infections) and cancer. Gilead maintains research, development or manufacturing facilities in Foster City, CA; Boulder, CO; San Dimas, CA; Cambridge, UK and Dublin, Ireland and sales and marketing organizations in the United States, Europe and Australia.

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