More Truths about Truvada: it's a combined HIV drug comprising Emtriva and Viread

sharing this page from Carl Grinde's Blog:
 Now, for the first time, adults who do not have HIV but are at risk of becoming infected can take a medication to reduce the risk of sexual transmission of the virus.
Truvada is made by Gilead.

http://www.gilead.com/pr_933190157

Truvada is made by Gilead. Side effects: "new or worsening kidney problems, thinning of the bones (osteopenia), which could lead to fractures, inflammation, diarrhea, dizziness, nausea, headache, fatigue, abnormal dreams, sleeping problems, rash, depression, changes in the distribution of body fat, stomach area (abdomen) pain, headache, a buildup of acid in the blood (lactic acidosis), decreased weight, Serious liver problems (hepatotoxicity), with liver enlargement (hepatomegaly), and fat in the liver (steatosis). Symptoms of liver problems include your skin or the whites of your eyes turning yellow (jaundice), dark colored urine, light colored stools, lack of appetite, nausea, and/or pain in your lower stomach area. In some cases, these serious conditions have lead to death." 
Quotes from www.truvada.com 

The Shame of Gilead

by Terry Michael

Gilead Sciences, headquartered in Foster City, CA, is the world's number one purveyor of the chemotherapies known as "anti-retrovirals" (ARVs.) In 2011, the company (named for the Biblical "balm of Gilead") reported ARV sales of about $6.91 billion dollars. The trade names for their ARVs are: Truvada, Atripla, Viread, Complera and Emtriva--all of which they acknowledge have serious adverse "side" effects (as noted in the Gilead prescribing information for Truvada.) Gilead was way ahead of nearest competitor Bristol-Myers-Squibb, which sold about $3.05 billion of the chemo in 2011, according to year-end corporate reports I have reviewed.

History of Gilead Sciences makers of "treatments of HIV"

Some interesting reading, (well with Wikipedia sometimes you do have to read with between the lines). Still, who's been on the Broad and when...good to know who's mixing up all the HIV meds formulas uh?

Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ: GILD) is a biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and commercializes therapeutics. For many years since the company was founded, the company concentrated primarily on antiviral drugs to treat patients infected withHIV, hepatitis B or influenza. In 2006, Gilead acquired two companies that were developing drugs to treat patients with pulmonarydiseases. The company has fourteen commercially available products. Headquartered and founded in Foster City, California, Gilead has operations in North America, Europe and Australia. As of the end of 2009, the company had approximately 4,000 full-time employees.The company's name and logo refer to the Balm of Gilead. Gilead (a place mentioned in the Bible) was famed for its small trees that produced a resin used in medicine.

Gilead is a member of the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index and the S&P 500.

History

Gilead Sciences was originally formed at Menlo Ventures under the name of "Oligogen, Inc." in August 1987 by H. DuBose Montgomery, co-founder of Menlo Ventures and Michael L. Riordan, a medical doctor who was 29 years old at the time. Riordan graduated from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, spent a year as a consultant and then joined as an associate at Menlo Ventures in 1986. The company traces its roots to a runny nose because Montgomery got a particularly bad cold—a virus—and in his misery he wondered why so few antivirals existed when so many antibiotics were in use. The name of the company was changed to "Gilead Sciences" in 1988 and Montgomery served as the first Chairman of the Board from 1987 to 1993. Riordan looked to Donald Rumsfeld as a mentor in the business world and to navigate the political waters. Under the technical leadership of scientist Mark Matteucci, the company focussed on discovery research, making small strands of DNA (oligomers) to assess the potential of genetic code blockers (gene therapy). Its development of small molecule antiviral therapeutics was ushered in by John Martin in 1992 with the licensing of nucleotide compounds discovered in two European academic labs.

Gilead could change the game for HIV patients

FOLLOW THE $$ 

San Francisco Business Times - by Ron Leuty

Date: Friday, December 31, 2010, 3:00am PST

Biotech: Pill to watch-Gilead Sciences' Quad pill

Read more: Biotech: Pill to watch-Gilead Sciences' Quad pill | San Francisco Business Times

 Foster City-based Gilead could change the game for HIV patients and its bottom line, adding a new drug and booster to its once-a-day pill.

The so-called Quad pill and its elements are undergoing three Phase III studies. A fourth 700-patient trial is enrolling.

About half of the HIV patients who start therapy in the United States already use Gilead’s three-in-one Atripla, which uses Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Sustiva. The Quad pill drops the Bristol-Myers Squibb drug and uses Viread, Emtriva and a new Gilead drug called elvitegravir plus an elvitegravir booster.

Wall Street analysts have pegged the pill as a $4 billion-a-year ...

Read more: Biotech: Pill to watch-Gilead Sciences' Quad pill | San Francisco Business Times