Gilead Sciences unveils campaign to help women fight cancer

Gilead Sciences, a research-based biopharmaceutical company from California, launched a women's health advocacy campaign in China on Wednesday built around the idea of "taking back" the possibilities that cancer causes.

Themed "Cancer steals possibility. We're taking it back", the campaign, partnered with Marie Claire, a renowned women's lifestyle and fashion media, is a part of Gilead's global oncology franchise campaign. The project unites triple-negative breast cancer patients, authoritative medical experts and influential female representatives to share their personal experiences and stories of mutual support in the fight against cancer.

Breast cancer has become the leading type of cancer worldwide, with "triple-negative breast cancer" being a particularly difficult subtype to treat. This type of disease accounts for about between 10 to 15 percent of all breast cancers, according to information released by Atlanta-based American Cancer Society.

This form of breast cancer is highly aggressive and more likely to recur and spread than other types, posing a significant challenge for patient prognosis. The five-year survival rate for individuals with advanced metastatic triple-negative breast cancer is a mere 12.2 percent.

Jin Fangqian, vice-president of Gilead Sciences and the group's general manager for China, said as an innovation-driven company, Gilead is not only committed to advancing innovative medicines to prevent and treat life-threatening diseases, including HIV, viral hepatitis and cancer, but also striving to remedy health inequities and break down barriers to care.

"By launching this campaign, we hope to further raise awareness of women's health in local society, enhance public understanding of breast cancer prevention and treatment, and help patients regain the possibilities in their lives," said Jin, adding the company will continue to invest in innovative research and development in the field of breast cancer and broader cancer types.

Gilead commenced its commercial operations in China in 2017, initially on virology focusing on HIV prevention and treatment, and viral hepatitis. By 2023, the company expanded into the oncology sector, introducing a new treatment option to China for patients with inoperable locally advanced or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer, offering innovative treatment option for those affected by this challenging condition.

In response to the Health China 2030 Initiative, the company has also collaborated with governments, associations, hospitals and research institutions to bring its innovative treatments to larger patient populations.