Gilead Faces Off Against Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez Over HIV Drug

Gilead Sciences Inc. is in the hot seat after Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) called on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to deny a patent extension for one of the company’s HIV medications.

A total of 40 personal injury lawsuits have been brought by roughly 1,500 patients accusing Gilead of delaying release of an improved antiviral medication for more than a decade so that the Foster City, Calif.-based company could profit from its first drug until the patent expired.

The two Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to the USPTO following allegations that Gilead intentionally withheld ...