Advocates for a dual-market approach to pharmaceuticals, where innovation is protected in developed markets while access in low-income countries is ensured through non-profit pricing, voluntary licensing, and public-private partnerships.
Maintains that the primary driver of high patient drug costs in the U.S. is not the manufacturer's price but the 50% of revenue captured by intermediaries in the supply chain.
Believes that advanced scientific platforms like cell therapy and the concept of an 'immune reset' represent the future of medicine, shifting the goal from long-term treatment to outright cures for complex diseases.
Expresses strong conviction that the HIV epidemic can be ended within his lifetime, driven by highly effective preventative medicines like lenacapivir and concerted global distribution efforts.
Supports integrating AI into drug discovery through partnerships rather than acquisitions, aiming to shorten development timelines without diluting the company's core focus on science.
Approx. 17 years ago
O'Day states that the development process for the HIV prevention drug lenacapivir began.
Recent Past
Clinical trials for lenacapivir concluded, demonstrating nearly 100% effectiveness in preventing HIV with a twice-yearly injection.
Approx. 5 months ago
Following US approval, Gilead made lenacapivir available in the first sub-Saharan African country.
Present
O'Day describes Gilead's current multi-pronged distribution strategy: providing lenacapivir at no profit, partnering with the Global Fund and PEPFAR, and offering royalty-free voluntary licenses to generic manufacturers.
Near Future (next 3 years)
Announces an expanded commitment with partners to supply lenacapivir to three million people in low and low-middle income countries as an interim 'bridging' solution.
▶Global Health Equity and HIV PreventionMay 2026
O'Day positions Gilead as a central actor in the global effort to end the HIV epidemic, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. He details a strategy centered on the highly effective, twice-yearly prevention drug lenacapivir, which is being distributed through a non-profit model involving voluntary licensing and partnerships with NGOs like the Global Fund and PEPFAR.
This narrative of corporate responsibility serves to build significant brand goodwill and strengthen relationships with global health organizations, potentially creating a strategic advantage in public health policy and future market access.
▶The Economics of Pharmaceutical InnovationMay 2026
O'Day critiques the U.S. healthcare system's value chain, arguing that intermediaries capture 50% of a drug's cost without contributing to innovation. He juxtaposes this inefficiency with the high-risk (99% failure rate) and long-term investment required for drug development, advocating for reforms that protect innovation while lowering patient costs.
This focus strategically shifts the blame for high drug costs away from manufacturers and towards middlemen, aiming to reframe the policy debate to protect R&D investment and profitability.
▶The Frontier of Curative MedicineMay 2026
O'Day expresses strong optimism about a paradigm shift from chronic treatment to cures, driven by new scientific platforms. He highlights cell therapy's success in lymphoma and the theoretical potential of an 'immune reset' to eradicate autoimmune diseases as tangible examples of this next generation of medicine.
By emphasizing curative therapies, O'Day signals Gilead's strategic focus on high-value, potentially one-time treatments, which represents a significant market opportunity but also introduces complex challenges around pricing, reimbursement, and patient access.
▶Accelerating R&D with TechnologyMay 2026
O'Day outlines a strategy to enhance R&D efficiency by integrating artificial intelligence, which he believes can shorten the drug discovery process from a decade to six to eight years. Gilead's approach favors partnering for AI technology rather than acquiring AI companies, allowing it to focus on its core scientific competencies.
This indicates a capital-efficient approach to technological adoption, where Gilead seeks to leverage specialized external expertise to de-risk and accelerate its pipeline rather than attempting to build in-house tech capabilities from scratch.