Gilead Launches an Educational Website on Advances in Combination Therapy For HIV

FOSTER CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 6, 2005--Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq:GILD) today announced the launch of www.ChangeofHAART.com, a new educational website featuring information about advances in HIV treatment -- also called Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy or HAART -- for people living with HIV/AIDS. The site includes resources about recent changes and improvements in HIV treatment as well as advice and tools to help patients address a wide range of treatment issues. Its launch coincides with the ten year anniversary of the United States Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) approval of the first protease inhibitor and subsequent availability of HAART in the United States.

Since its introduction, HAART has been credited with a 70 percent reduction in the AIDS death rate in the United States, saving an estimated two million years of human life. Despite a decade of dramatic improvements in HAART, including the availability of significantly improved options for HIV treatment, over 200,000 Americans who should be receiving HIV treatment are not, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

"HIV treatment today is a far cry from what most patients endured when combination therapy was first introduced a decade ago. Thanks to recent advances, effective treatment for some patients can be as simple as two pills taken just once a day," said Cal Cohen, MD, MS, Clinical Instructor, Harvard Medical School and Research Director, Community Research Initiative of New England. "Unfortunately, misperceptions about therapy still persist and educational resources like ChangeofHAART.com can help address this problem."

There are currently 27 antiretrovirals approved for HIV therapy in the United States. With multiple medicines available to people living with HIV/AIDS, some patients can be confused about treatment options or may be unsure about what questions to ask their physician.

"In recent years, there have been a number of remarkable advances in treatment for people living with HIV, but it can be challenging to stay fully informed," said Jim Meyers, Vice President of U.S. Commercial Operations for Gilead Sciences. "While there are many websites about HIV, we saw a need for one that clearly describes the evolution of treatment and empowers patients to feel comfortable discussing new or improved treatment options with their physicians."

ChangeofHAART.com contains a concise history of HAART, video testimonials, an interactive quiz and information about how to manage treatment in order to reduce treatment-related side effects. The site can also help patients locate local resources such as AIDS Service Organizations.

About Gilead Sciences

Gilead Sciences is a biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and commercializes innovative therapeutics in areas of unmet medical need. The company's mission is to advance the care of patients suffering from life-threatening diseases worldwide. Headquartered in Foster City, California, Gilead has operations in North America, Europe and Australia.

For more information on Gilead, please call the Gilead Public Affairs Department at 1-800-GILEAD-5 (1-800-445-3235) or visit www.gilead.com.

CONTACT: Gilead Sciences, Inc. James Loduca, 650-522-5908 (Media) www.gilead.com SOURCE: Gilead Sciences, Inc.