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Epclusa: Competing With Its Own GenericThin moat

Gilead Sciences (GILD) — moat facet

In hepatitis C Gilead sells against its own authorised generic, and its Epclusa franchise has fallen from $1,965 million in 2019 to $1,272 million in 2025.

Hepatitis C shows how Gilead behaves once a franchise matures: it undercuts itself before others can. Epclusa, the cure for all genotypes, is sold alongside "an authorized generic version of Epclusa distributed by our separate subsidiary, Asegua Therapeutics LLC"1. Harvoni has one too2.

Gilead sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (Epclusa and authorised generic) sales ($bn)1.9720191.6020201.4620211.5320221.5420231.6020241.272025Gilead Forms 10-K FY2021, FY2023, FY2025
A cure that sells itself out of patients, slowly.

The strategy keeps volume at a lower price. Sales of sofosbuvir and velpatasvir, Epclusa plus its generic, were $1,965 million in 2019, $1,530 million in 2022 and $1,272 million in 2025345. The decline is real, but it has been gradual for a cure whose patients leave once treated.

The December 2025 agreement goes further, committing Gilead to "a new direct-to-patient price for Epclusa"6. Gilead now sets hepatitis C prices partly by agreement with the government.

AbbVie's Mavyret competes in the same market, and the AbbVie page covers that rivalry. The point here is narrower: Gilead's pricing power in a mature franchise is the power to choose its own discount.

Gilead's hepatitis C history shows how fast this market can move. Epclusa sold $3,510 million in 2017 and $1,966 million in 20187, a fall of about 44% in one year8 as the treatable population shrank. The authorised generic was Gilead's way of keeping the remaining patients without cutting the branded price everywhere at once.

If sofosbuvir and velpatasvir sales fall below $1 billion in 2027, the self-competition will have stopped protecting volume and become a managed decline. They were $1,272 million in 20259, and lower again in the second quarter of 2026 at $303 million against $342 million10.

Moat trajectory: Narrowing

Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir $303M in Q2 2026 against $342M.

The number that tests this moat
Reported
Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir sales, latest quarter
$303M (Q2 2026), from $342M a year earlier

The mature franchise's run-rate; below $250M a quarter would put the year under $1bn.

Source: Gilead Sciences Q2 2026 results release ↗
⚠ Threats to the moat
⚠ THREAT 01
The Direct Price Becomes the Reference
Gilead's agreed direct-to-patient Epclusa price is small in revenue and large as a precedent.
References
  1. ReportedEpclusa, the cure for all genotypes, is sold alongside "an authorized generic version of Epclusa distributed by our separate subsidiary, Asegua Therapeutics LLC".
    Gilead Sciences Form 10-K for 2025 - Item 1A risk factors and pricing regulation: the IRA, Medicare negotiation, Medicaid, the ACA and tariffs. — FY2025 · publ. 24 February 2026 · source ↗
  2. ReportedHarvoni has one too.
    Gilead Sciences Form 10-K for 2025 - Item 1 business and the revenue-by-product table: products, programs, employees and manufacturing. — FY2025 · publ. 24 February 2026 · source ↗
  3. ReportedSales of sofosbuvir and velpatasvir, Epclusa plus its generic, were $1,965 million in 2019, $1,530 million in 2022 and $1,272 million in 2025.
    Gilead Sciences Form 10-K for 2021 - revenue by product for 2019-2021, including HCV, HBV/HDV, Cell Therapy, Trodelvy and Veklury, and the 2019-2021 wholesaler table. — FY2021 · publ. February 2022 · source ↗
  4. ReportedSales of sofosbuvir and velpatasvir, Epclusa plus its generic, were $1,965 million in 2019, $1,530 million in 2022 and $1,272 million in 2025.
    Gilead Sciences Form 10-K for 2023 - revenue by product group for 2021-2023, wholesaler shares of total revenues and the 2023 balance sheet. — FY2023 · publ. February 2024 · source ↗
  5. ReportedSales of sofosbuvir and velpatasvir, Epclusa plus its generic, were $1,965 million in 2019, $1,530 million in 2022 and $1,272 million in 2025.
    Gilead Sciences Form 10-K for 2025 - patents, regulatory exclusivity, expiry dates and settlements with generic manufacturers. — FY2025 · publ. 24 February 2026 · source ↗
  6. ReportedThe December 2025 agreement goes further, committing Gilead to "a new direct-to-patient price for Epclusa".
    Gilead Sciences Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 30 June 2026 - acquired IPR&D for Arcellx, Tubulis and Ouro, the $1.75 billion Trodelvy impairment, debt, receivables and the December 2025 agreement with the US administration. — Q2 2026 · publ. 6 August 2026 · source ↗
  7. ReportedEpclusa sold $3,510 million in 2017 and $1,966 million in 2018, a fall of about 44% in one year as the treatable population shrank.
    Gilead Sciences Form 10-K for 2018 - the Kite Pharma acquisition at $180 a share ($11,155 million) and product sales of Harvoni and Epclusa for 2016-2018. — FY2018 · publ. February 2019 · source ↗
  8. Moat Explorer calcEpclusa sold $3,510 million in 2017 and $1,966 million in 2018, a fall of about 44% in one year as the treatable population shrank.
    Moat Explorer calculation from Gilead Sciences reported figures ($ millions unless stated). HIV and Biktarvy: HIV share of total revenues 20,752 / 29,443 = 70.5% (2025); of product sales 20,752 / 28,915 = 71.8%; 16,438 / 22,449 = 73.2% (2019); 16,315 / 27,305 = 59.8% (2021); 18,175 / 27,116 = 67.0% (2023); 19,612 / 28,754 = 68.2% (2024). Biktarvy share of total revenues 14,334 / 29,443 = 48.7%; of HIV 14,334 / 20,752 = 69.1%; Biktarvy US 11,467 / 14,334 = 80.0%; Biktarvy growth 2025 14,334 / 13,423 - 1 = +6.8%; 2019-2025 14,334 / 4,738 = 3.0 times, (3.03)^(1/6) - 1 = about 20% a year. Other HIV 20,752 - 14,334 = 6,418; HIV other than Biktarvy, Descovy, Genvoya and Odefsey 20,752 - 14,334 - 2,758 - 1,498 - 1,167 = 995; Veklury plus Other plus royalties 911 + 799 + 527 = 2,237. Genvoya 1,498 / 3,931 - 1 = -61.9%. HIV growth 2019-2025 20,752 / 16,438 - 1 = +26.2%, about 4.0% a year; 2021 16,315 / 16,938 - 1 = -3.7%; 2023 18,175 / 17,194 - 1 = +5.7%; 2024 19,612 / 18,175 - 1 = +7.9%; 2025 20,752 / 19,612 - 1 = +5.8%, about 6%; H1 2026 10,723 / 9,675 - 1 = +10.8%; Q2 2026 5,693 / 5,088 - 1 = +11.9%. Descovy 2025 2,758 / 2,113 - 1 = +30.5%, about 31%; Q2 2026 967 / 653 - 1 = +48.1%; Descovy over Yeztugo Q2 2026 967 / 232 = 4.2, about four times. Yeztugo Q1 2026 = H1 397 - Q2 232 = 165; Yeztugo over Biktarvy H1 2026 397 / 7,133 = 5.6%, about 6%. US HIV 16,904 / 20,752 = 81.5%, about 81%; US product sales 20,816 / 28,915 = 72.0%; Europe 4,617 / 28,915 = 16.0%. Gilead HIV growth Q2 2026 +11.9% less ViiV +11% = about +1 point. Exclusivity: Descovy + Vemlidy + Odefsey 2,758 + 1,070 + 1,167 = 4,995, about $5.0bn, / 29,443 = 17.0% of revenue; Descovy + Vemlidy 2,758 + 1,070 = 3,828; Vemlidy share of Liver Disease 1,070 / 3,217 = 33.3%, a third; 2025 sales by primary US patent window: Tecartus 344 + Genvoya 1,498 = 1,842 (2027-2029); Trodelvy 1,397 + Descovy 2,758 + Vemlidy 1,070 + Odefsey 1,167 + sofosbuvir/velpatasvir 1,272 = 7,664 (2028-2033); Biktarvy 14,334 (2036). Hepatitis C 2015 Harvoni 13,864 + Sovaldi 5,276 = 19,140, / product sales 32,151 = 59.5%, about 60%; product sales 2018 21,677 / 32,151 - 1 = -32.6%; Liver Disease 2025 3,217 / 19,140 = 16.8%, about 17%, a sixth. Liver Disease 2019 HCV 2,936 + HBV/HDV 742 = 3,678; 2020 2,064 + 860 = 2,924. Price: gross product sales 2025 28,915 + 19,953 = 48,868, about $48.9bn; 2024 28,610 + 17,776 = 46,386; net product sales growth 28,915 / 28,610 - 1 = +1.1%, about 1%; gross-to-net deductions 19,953 / 17,776 - 1 = +12.2%; accrued rebates 4,337 / 3,892 - 1 = +11.4%, about 11%; rebates and chargebacks over net product sales 17.5bn / 28,915 = 60.5%, about 60% (2025); 15.5bn / 28,610 = 54.2% (2024). H1 2026 capital expenditure = operating cash flow 6,117 - free cash flow 5,859 = 258. Three wholesalers 29% + 24% + 21% = 74% of gross product sales (2025); 29% + 23% + 21% = 73% (2024). Hepatitis C share of revenue 1,272 / 29,443 = 4.3%, about 4%; sofosbuvir/velpatasvir 2025 1,272 / 1,596 - 1 = -20.3%, a fifth; Mavyret 1,317 / 1,311 - 1 = +0.5%. Cash and capital: free cash flow over revenue 9,456 / 29,443 = 32.1%, about 32%; dividends paid over free cash flow 4,003 / 9,456 = 42.3%, about 42%; free cash flow left after dividends and buybacks 9,456 - 4,003 - 1,922 = 3,531. Dividend per share (3.16 / 1.29)^(1/10) - 1 = 9.4% a year; increases 1.84 / 1.29 - 1 = +42.6% (2016); 2.72 / 2.52 - 1 = +7.9% (2020); 3.00 / 2.92 - 1 = +2.7% (2023); 3.08 / 3.00 - 1 = +2.7% (2024); 3.16 / 3.08 - 1 = +2.6% (2025); quarterly 0.82 / 0.79 - 1 = +3.8% (2026). Buybacks 2015-2016 10,002 + 11,001 = 21,003, about $21bn; year-end market value 2016 over 2015 94.34 / 145.83 - 1 = -35.3%, about a third. Net debt 31 December 2025 = total debt 24,937 - cash and marketable debt securities 10,605 = 14,332; 30 June 2026 = 26,246 - 3,179 = 23,067; net debt over 2025 free cash flow 23,067 / 9,456 = 2.4 years. Interest over operating income 1,024 / 10,022 = 10.2%, about a tenth (2025); 977 / 1,662 = 58.8%, more than half (2024). Gilead stockholders equity 11,829 / 22,703 - 1 = -47.9%, about 48%; return on equity 2025 8,510 / ((19,330 + 22,703) / 2 = 21,017) = 40.5%. Acquisitions: Trodelvy IPR&D impairments 2.7bn (2022) + 2.4bn + 1.8bn (2024) + 1.75bn (2026) = 8.65bn of 15.8bn recorded = 54.7%; Trodelvy Q1 2026 = H1 859 - Q2 457 = 402; Kite plus Immunomedics 11,155 + 20,600 = 31,755, over $31bn; cell therapy 2025 1,839 / 1,973 - 1 = -6.8%; Arcellx IPR&D 7.0bn / cell therapy 2025 1.839bn = 3.8 years. Acquired IPR&D 2019 5,051 + 2020 5,856 + 2021 939 + 2022 944 + 2023 1,155 + 2024 4,663 + 2025 1,024 + H1 2026 11,290 = 30,922, about $30.9bn; acquired IPR&D 2019-2025 alone = 30,922 - 11,290 = 19,632; Biktarvy 2025 US 11,467 + outside US 1,676 + 1,190 = 14,334, all other revenues 29,443 - 14,334 = 15,109 (shown 15.1); net income 2019-2025 5,386 + 123 + 6,225 + 4,592 + 5,665 + 480 + 8,510 = 30,981, about $31.0bn. Revenue lines: Liver Disease share 3,217 / 29,443 = 10.9%, about 11%; Oncology share 3,236 / 29,443 = 11.0%; Oncology 2020 cell therapy 607 + Trodelvy 49 = 656; Oncology 2025 3,236 / 3,289 - 1 = -1.6%, about 2%; 2019-2025 3,236 / 456 = 7.1 times, about sevenfold. Veklury 2021 5,565 / 27,305 = 20.4%, about a fifth; 2025 911 / 29,443 = 3.1%; product sales 2021-2025 28,915 / 27,008 - 1 = +7.1%; excluding Veklury (28,915 - 911 = 28,004) / (27,008 - 5,565 = 21,443) - 1 = +30.6%, about 31%. Other product sales plus royalty, contract and other revenues: 1,547 + 330 = 1,877 (2019); 1,026 + 334 = 1,360; 1,027 + 297 = 1,324; 946 + 299 = 1,245; 859 + 182 = 1,041; 889 + 144 = 1,033; 799 + 527 = 1,326 (2025). Bands sum to total revenues: 2025 20,752 + 3,217 + 3,236 + 911 + 1,326 = 29,442 against reported 29,443 (rounding); 2019 16,438 + 3,678 + 456 + 0 + 1,877 = 22,449. Non-HIV revenue 29,443 - 20,752 = 8,691, / 29,443 = 29.5%. Valuation and earnings: trailing twelve months to June 2026 revenue 29,443 - H1 2025 13,749 + H1 2026 14,763 = 30,457; net income 8,510 - 3,275 + (-8,475) = -3,240; diluted EPS 6.78 - 2.61 + (-6.82) = -2.65. Year-end market value over net income and revenue: 2015 145.83bn / 18,108 = 8.05, / 32,639 = 4.47; 2016 94.34 / 13,501 = 6.99, / 30,390 = 3.10; 2017 93.58 / 4,628 = 20.2, / 26,107 = 3.58; 2018 80.92 / 5,455 = 14.8, / 22,127 = 3.66; 2019 82.21 / 5,386 = 15.3, / 22,449 = 3.66; 2020 73.03 / 123 = 594, / 24,689 = 2.96; 2021 91.08 / 6,225 = 14.6, / 27,305 = 3.34; 2022 107.68 / 4,592 = 23.4, / 27,281 = 3.95; 2023 100.94 / 5,665 = 17.8, / 27,116 = 3.72; 2024 115.12 / 480 = 240, / 28,754 = 4.00; 2025 152.28 / 8,510 = 17.9, / 29,443 = 5.17; October 2026 179.47bn / 30,457 = 5.89. 2026 product sales guidance midpoints (29,600 + 30,000) / 2 = 29,800 (February); (30,000 + 30,400) / 2 = 30,200 (May); (30,100 + 30,400) / 2 = 30,250 (August). Non-GAAP EPS guidance midpoint (-0.65 + -0.30) / 2 = -0.475, plus 9.08 of acquired IPR&D and tax per share = 8.61. Additional: dividends paid 3,918 / 3,809 - 1 = +2.9% (2024), 4,003 / 3,918 - 1 = +2.2% (2025); gross product sales 48,868 / 46,386 - 1 = +5.4%, about 5%; Epclusa 1,966 / 3,510 - 1 = -44.0%; US HIV over US product sales 16,904 / 20,816 = 81.2%; European HIV over European product sales 2,392 / 4,617 = 51.8%; analyst target 158.65 / 144.74 - 1 = +9.6%, about 10%; market value 2025 over 2024 152.28 / 115.12 - 1 = +32.3%, a third. AmBisome 509 / 533 - 1 = -4.5%. Biktarvy over HIV: 4,738 / 16,438 = 28.8% (2019); 8,624 / 16,315 = 52.9% (2021); 11,850 / 18,175 = 65.2% (2023). Descovy + Vemlidy + Odefsey: 1,500 + 488 + 1,655 = 3,643 (2019); 1,700 + 814 + 1,568 = 4,082 (2021); 1,985 + 862 + 1,350 = 4,197 (2023); 2,113 + 959 + 1,288 = 4,360 (2024). Apretude Q1 2026 = H1 260 - Q2 140 = 120 (GBP M). Livdelzi Q1 2026 = H1 300 - Q2 167 = 133 - prices, deductions, customers, geography and exclusivity. — FY2015-Q2 2026 · publ. October 2026 · source ↗
    Method: Arithmetic on figures reported in Gilead Sciences Forms 10-K, 10-Q and results releases, SEC XBRL, stockanalysis.com market values, and the GSK and AbbVie filings cited; each operand is stated in the source line.
  9. ReportedThey were $1,272 million in 2025, and lower again in the second quarter of 2026 at $303 million against $342 million.
    Gilead Sciences Form 10-K for 2025 - Item 1 business and the revenue-by-product table: products, programs, employees and manufacturing. — FY2025 · publ. 24 February 2026 · source ↗
  10. ReportedThey were $1,272 million in 2025, and lower again in the second quarter of 2026 at $303 million against $342 million.
    Gilead Sciences second-quarter 2026 results release, Form 8-K exhibit 99.1 - revenue by product, income statement, cash flow, balance sheet, pipeline updates and 2026 guidance - revenue by product and product group and the drivers of each. — Q2 2026 · publ. 4 August 2026 · source ↗
Sources
Generated October 4, 2026