After Remdesivir Trials, Is It Too Late to Buy Gilead Stock?

Gilead Sciences' (NASDAQ: GILD) antiviral drug remdesivir may soon become the first COVID-19 therapeutic approved for sale in the U.S., and the market has noted the company's accomplishment, driving the stock price up more than 14% so far this year. There's no guarantee that the company's profits or its dividend will improve as a result of remdesivir's regulatory approval, but there is still a growth opportunity or two for investors to take advantage of, if they're willing to act quickly. At present, remdesivir is midway through its phase 3 clinical trials, meaning that few obstacles remain between Gilead and the drug's final regulatory approval for sale in the U.S. As demonstrated in the early phases of its expedited clinical trials, remdesivir appears to be somewhat effective at reducing the recovery period of patients with moderate-intensity COVID-19-associated pneumonia, which means that Gilead will have a growing market for remdesivir as long as the pandemic still rages.