The Lancet & Remdesivir

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Petit Historique 

The LancetGate refers to a controversy surrounding Gilead Sciences, the pharmaceutical company developing Remdesivir. Gilead has a complex history, initially founded as Oligogen in 1987.

In 2011, the company shifted its focus to hepatitis C with the acquisition of Pharmasset for $11 billion, leading to a pricing controversy over the drug Sovaldi in 2014. Gilead faced criticism for the high cost of the medication, reaching around 40,000 euros, and subsequent disputes over its patent in 2018.

Gilead expanded its portfolio with the acquisition of KitePharma in 2017 for $11.9 billion, specializing in oncology. Additionally, a partnership with Belgian biotech company Galapagos was established in 2015, and Gilead increased its stake in Galapagos to 22% in 2019, investing $5 billion.

In March 2020, Gilead announced the acquisition of Forty Seven, a specialist in blood cancers, for $4.9 billion. The LancetGate controversy raises questions about Gilead's role in the developmen…