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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2025
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Legal Proceedings
We are a party to various legal actions. Certain significant matters are described below. We recognize accruals for such actions to the extent that we conclude that a loss is both probable and reasonably estimable. We accrue for the best estimate of a loss within a range; however, if no estimate in the range is better than any other, then we accrue the minimum amount in the range. If we determine that a material loss is reasonably possible and the loss or range of loss can be estimated, we disclose the possible loss. Unless otherwise noted, the outcome of these matters either is not expected to be material or is not possible to determine such that we cannot reasonably estimate the maximum potential exposure or the range of possible loss. As of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, we had approximately $220 million and $242 million of accruals on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets, respectively, for the matters described herein, with approximately $200 million accrued for a settlement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York that we entered into in April 2025.
Litigation with Generic Manufacturers
As part of the approval process for some of our products, FDA granted us a New Chemical Entity (“NCE”) exclusivity period during which other manufacturers’ applications for approval of generic versions of our products will not be approved. Generic manufacturers may challenge the patents protecting products that have been granted NCE exclusivity one year prior to the end of the NCE exclusivity period. Generic manufacturers have sought and may continue to seek FDA approval for a similar or identical drug through an abbreviated new drug application (“ANDA”), the application form typically used by manufacturers seeking approval of a generic drug. The sale of generic versions of our products prior to their patent expiration would have a significant negative effect on our revenues and results of operations. To seek approval for a generic version of a product having NCE status, a generic company may submit its ANDA to FDA four years after the branded product’s approval.
Starting in March 2022, we received letters from Lupin Ltd. (“Lupin”), Laurus Labs (“Laurus”) and Cipla Ltd. (“Cipla”), indicating that they have submitted ANDAs to FDA requesting permission to market and manufacture generic versions of the adult dosage strength of Biktarvy. Lupin, Laurus, and Cipla have challenged the validity of four of the six patents listed in the Orange Book as associated with Biktarvy. We filed a lawsuit against Lupin, Laurus and Cipla in May 2022 in the U.S. District Court of Delaware and intend to enforce and defend our intellectual property. Additionally, in November 2023, we received a letter from Cipla indicating that it has submitted an ANDA to FDA requesting permission to market and manufacture a generic version of the pediatric dosage strength of Biktarvy. Cipla challenged the validity of two of the patents listed in the Orange Book as associated with Biktarvy. We filed a separate lawsuit against Cipla in December 2023 in the U.S. District Court of Delaware. This lawsuit has been consolidated with the first lawsuit, with a single trial scheduled for October 2025. In October 2024, Cipla separately filed a petition at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (“USPTO”) for inter partes review of one of the patents at issue in District Court litigation. We intend to defend this patent at the USPTO.
Antitrust and Consumer Protection
We, along with Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (“BMS”), Johnson & Johnson, Inc. (“Johnson & Johnson”), and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (“Teva”) have been named as defendants in class action lawsuits filed in 2019 and 2020 related to various drugs used to treat HIV, including drugs used in combination antiretroviral therapy. Plaintiffs allege that we (and the other defendants) engaged in various conduct to restrain competition in violation of federal and state antitrust laws and state consumer protection laws. The lawsuits, which have been consolidated, are pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The lawsuits seek to bring claims on behalf of direct purchasers consisting largely of wholesalers and indirect or end-payor purchasers, including health insurers and individual patients. Plaintiffs seek damages, permanent injunctive relief and other relief. In the second half of 2021 and first half of 2022, several plaintiffs consisting of retail pharmacies, individual health plans and United Healthcare, filed separate lawsuits effectively opting out of the class action cases, asserting claims that are substantively the same as the classes. These cases have been coordinated with the class actions. In March 2023, the District Court granted our motion to hold separate trials as to (i) the allegations against us and Teva seeking monetary damages relating to Truvada and Atripla (“Phase I”) and (ii) the allegations against us and, in part, Johnson & Johnson, seeking monetary damages and injunctive relief relating to Complera (“Phase II”). In May 2023, we settled claims with the direct purchaser class and the retailer opt-out plaintiffs for $525 million, which we paid in the second half of 2023. The settlement agreements are not an admission of liability or fault by us. In June 2023, the jury returned a complete verdict in Gilead’s favor on the remaining plaintiffs’ Phase I allegations. In November 2023, the court denied plaintiffs’ motion to set aside the verdict, and in February 2024, the court entered final judgment on the Phase I verdict and certain summary judgment rulings. In September 2024, plaintiffs filed their opening appellate briefs challenging the Phase I verdict and those summary judgment rulings. We filed our responsive briefs in January 2025. Plaintiffs filed their reply briefs in March 2025. The court has stayed Phase II pending the appeal of Phase I. While we intend to vigorously oppose the appeal and defend against the Phase II claims, we cannot predict the ultimate outcome. If plaintiffs are successful in their appeal or Phase II claims, we could be required to pay monetary damages or could be subject to permanent injunctive relief in favor of plaintiffs.
In January 2022, we, along with BMS and Janssen Products, L.P., were named as defendants in a lawsuit filed in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of San Mateo, by Aetna, Inc. on behalf of itself and its affiliates and subsidiaries that effectively opts the Aetna plaintiffs out of the above class actions. The allegations are substantively the same as those in the class actions. The Aetna plaintiffs seek damages, permanent injunctive relief and other relief. In March 2024, the court denied our motion for judgment on the pleadings to preclude Aetna from re-litigating claims that were dismissed at summary judgment in the above class action cases. We filed a writ petition appealing the denial of our motion for judgment on the pleadings, which the appellate court denied in May 2024. In April 2024, the court granted our motion to bifurcate the case to adjudicate the issue of preclusion before litigating the merits of the case. In July 2024, Aetna filed a request to voluntarily dismiss two of its claims with prejudice, which the court subsequently granted, leaving only the claims related to Truvada and Atripla. In September 2024, Aetna filed an amended complaint with respect to these claims. In October 2024, we filed a demurrer and motion to strike plaintiff’s claims. In April 2025, the court overruled the demurrer and stated in its order that an immediate appeal is warranted.
In February 2021, we, along with BMS and Teva, were named as defendants in a lawsuit filed in the First Judicial District Court for the State of New Mexico, County of Santa Fe by the New Mexico Attorney General. The New Mexico Attorney General alleges that we (and the other defendants) restrained competition in violation of New Mexico antitrust and consumer protection laws. The New Mexico Attorney General seeks damages, permanent injunctive relief and other relief. We moved to dismiss the case based on lack of personal jurisdiction and, in July 2023, the New Mexico Supreme Court remanded the case back to the trial court for limited jurisdictional discovery.
We intend to vigorously defend ourselves in these actions, however, we cannot predict the ultimate outcome. If plaintiffs are successful in their claims, we could be required to pay significant monetary damages or could be subject to permanent injunctive relief awarded in favor of plaintiffs, which may result in a material, adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition, including in a particular reporting period in which any such outcome becomes probable and estimable.
Product Liability
We have been named as a defendant in one putative class action lawsuit and various product liability lawsuits related to Viread, Truvada, Atripla, Complera and Stribild. Plaintiffs allege that Viread, Truvada, Atripla, Complera and/or Stribild caused them to experience kidney, bone and/or tooth injuries. The lawsuits, which are pending in state or federal court in California and Missouri, involve approximately 22,000 active plaintiffs. Plaintiffs in these cases seek damages and other relief on various grounds for alleged personal injury and economic loss. The first bellwether trial in California state court was scheduled to begin in October 2022 but is currently stayed pending the conclusion of appellate proceedings in the California Supreme Court. In the California federal case, Gilead agreed to make a one-time payment of approximately $39 million to a group of plaintiffs (approximately 2,470 plaintiffs). The federal court set a trial date of March 2027 for the first bellwether trial of the remaining cases. Briefing is ongoing in the putative class action in Missouri regarding whether the court should certify the proposed class. We intend to vigorously defend ourselves in these actions, however, we cannot predict the ultimate outcome. If plaintiffs are successful in their claims, we could be required to pay significant monetary damages, which may result in a material, adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition, including in a particular reporting period in which any such outcome becomes probable and estimable.
Government Investigation
In 2017, we received a subpoena from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York requesting documents related to our promotional speaker programs for HIV. In April 2025, we entered into a settlement agreement to resolve the government’s investigation.
Qui Tam Litigation
A former sales employee filed a qui tam lawsuit against Gilead in March 2017 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Following the government’s decision not to intervene in the suit, the case was unsealed in December 2020. The lawsuit alleges that certain of Gilead’s HCV sales and marketing activities and donations to an independent charitable foundation violated the federal False Claims Act and various state false claims acts. The lawsuit seeks all available relief under these statutes.
Health Choice Advocates, LLC (“Health Choice”) filed a qui tam lawsuit against Gilead in May 2020 in Texas state court. The lawsuit alleged that Gilead violated the Texas Medicare Fraud Prevention Act (“TMFPA”) through our clinical educator programs for Sovaldi and Harvoni and our HCV and HIV patient support programs. The lawsuit sought all available relief under the TMFPA. Health Choice voluntarily dismissed the case without prejudice in August 2023, and commenced a new action in October 2023, asserting largely identical allegations and claims. In the newly filed action, the Texas Attorney General has intervened as a plaintiff.
We intend to vigorously defend ourselves in these actions, however, we cannot predict the ultimate outcomes. If any of these plaintiffs are successful in their claims, we could be required to pay significant monetary damages, which may result in a material, adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition, including in a particular reporting period in which any such outcome becomes probable and estimable.
Other Matters
We are a party to various legal actions that arose in the ordinary course of our business. We do not believe that it is probable or reasonably possible that these other legal actions will have a material adverse impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.