Citi analyst Geoff Meacham keeps a Buy rating on Gilead (GILD) with a $125 price target after the company announced a clinical hold on its Phase 2 WONDERS trials evaluating the combination of GS-1720 and GS-4182 for once-weekly oral HIV treatment. The hold was initiated due to safety concerns, specifically decreases in CD4+ T-cell and absolute lymphocyte counts observed in a subset of participants receiving the combination therapy, the analyst tells investors in a research note. Citi says the setback impacts the targeted commercial launch of the GS-1720/GS-4182 regimen, previously anticipated in 2029 or 2030. The hold does not affect Gilead’s other ongoing HIV programs, including lenacapavir development for both treatment and prevention including the monthly oral combinations, as no similar lymphocyte or CD4 effects have been observed in these studies, Citi points out. As such, the firm sees the holds as a “minor setback” and continues to believe that lenacapavir in pre-exposure prophylaxis and expansion of several differentiated lenacapavir combos should offset potential Biktarvy 2028 Inflation Reduction Act negotiations.

Confident Investing Starts Here:

• Easily unpack a company's performance with TipRanks' new KPI Data for smart investment decisions

• Receive undervalued, market resilient stocks right to your inbox with TipRanks' Smart Value Newsletter

Published first on TheFly – the ultimate source for real-time, market-moving breaking financial news. >;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" href="https://thefly.com/?utm_source=finance.yahoo.com&utm_medium=referral" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Try Now>>

>;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" href="https://www.tipranks.com/screener/analysts-top-stocks/?type=stockAnalysisLanding&utm_source=finance.yahoo.com&utm_medium=referral" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">See the top stocks recommended by analysts >>

Read More on GILD:

Disclaimer & DisclosureReport an Issue

• FDA placed clinical hold on Gilead HIV treatment trials of GS-1720

• Gilead down 2% to $111.14 after FDA placed hold on some HIV trials

• Gilead Sciences: Strong Market Position and Growth Potential Drive Buy Rating

• Gilead Sciences’ Oncology Advancements: Trodelvy’s Potential to Boost Stock Value

• Gilead Sciences: Promising Pipeline and Strategic Advancements Justify Buy Rating