27 February 2019 - - US-based biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: GILD) is providing USD 17.6m in grants to 30 organizations in the United States through the Gilead HIV Age Positively initiative, the company said.

This effort aims to enhance the lives of individuals aging with HIV by focusing in three priority areas: improving care coordination, increasing resources for better well-being, and educating and informing policies that impact people living and aging with HIV.

Estimates suggest that by 2030, more than 80% of people living with HIV will face at least one age-related medical condition, compared to just 29% in 2010.

The HIV Age Positively grantees include longtime advocacy organizations, who are now better equipped to provide life-saving services to their communities, as well as newer organizations that add to the overall effort to strengthen care and services for this growing population.

Each grantee was selected for their unique ability to articulate interventions that have the potential to transform the quality of life for people aging with HIV.

Aging people living with HIV face a unique set of challenges, and healthcare providers and the broader community of allies need additional resources to meet their needs.

As part of the HIV Age Positively effort, Gilead convened an advisory board of experts with deep insights into the subject of aging with HIV.

The advisory board members included healthcare providers, researchers and community advocates from AIDS Project Los Angeles, Test Positive Awareness Network, the University of Pittsburgh, Boston University, ACRIA, University of California, San Diego, HTW Campaign, SAGE and the HIV Vaccine Trials Network.

This group determined that addressing the interrelated challenges within our healthcare system and the general HIV community, like stigma, loneliness and better coordination of care, is essential in reaching a viable solution to these challenges.

Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a research-based biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and commercialises innovative medicines. Gilead has operations in more than 35 countries worldwide, with headquarters in Foster City, California.