Gilead Sciences

No. 1

Industry: Pharmaceuticals
Sales: $5.3 billion
Net Income: $2 billion

The company that tops the BW 50 list this year is one of the world's leading producers of drugs for infectious diseases. Gilead Sciences (GILD) saw sales rise to $5.3 billion in the past 12 months, capping off three years of 38% sales growth on average. One secret was turning a cocktail of AIDS drugs into a single once-a-day pill, making it easier for patients to stick to their drug regimens. But with 84% of 2008 sales coming from just three AIDS treatments, Gilead CEO John Martin is pushing to diversify. In 2008, a hepatitis B drug called Hepsera brought in $341 million in sales, and many of Gilead's scientists are now working on treatments for hepatitis C. In March, Gilead announced plans to buy CV Therapeutics (CVTX), which develops drugs for cardiovascular diseases, for $1.4 billion.

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