Gilead Sciences 2-for-1 stock split

Gilead Sciences says its stockholders have approved an increase in thenumber of authorized shares of its common stock from 100 million to 500 million, enabling the company to complete a two-for-one stock split. This will leave just over 94.3 million shares outstanding. John Martin, Gilead's chief executive, said the group is excited by the opportunity to broaden its stockholder base and to increase the liquidity of the company's shares.

Progress being made with pipeline

He added that, along with recent progress being made in Gilead's portfolio (it has recently started a Phase II trial of NX 211, a liposomal formulation of a novel topoisomerase I inhibitor, in patients with recurrent small cell lung cancer; Marketletter January 1 & 8), "the stock split represents an important milestone in the company's continued development into one of the leading biopharmaceutical companies worldwide."