Gilead Sciences vs Moderna: Founders, CEOs and History
Gilead Sciences was founded in 1987 by Michael L. Riordan and is led by Daniel P. O'Day. Moderna was founded in 2010 by Derrick Rossi, Robert Langer, Noubar Afeyan and is led by Stéphane Bancel.
Company facts
Gilead Sciences
- Founded
- 1987
- Headquarters
- Foster City, California
- Current CEO
- Daniel P. O'Day
- Employees
- 17,000
Moderna
- Founded
- 2010
- Headquarters
- Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
- Current CEO
- Stéphane Bancel
- Employees
- 4,700
Founders
Gilead Sciences
Michael L. Riordan
Michael Riordan founded Gilead in Foster City, California, in 1987. Before that he trained in medicine and worked in venture capital at Menlo Ventures, which provided early funding.
Moderna
Derrick Rossi
Rossi's discovery gave Moderna its name, from 'modified RNA'. He served on the company's early scientific advisory board but did not run it; Stéphane Bancel was recruited as CEO in 2011.
Robert Langer
Robert Langer has served on Moderna's board of directors since its founding and has been instrumental in guiding the company's scientific strategy and partnerships.
Noubar Afeyan
Noubar Afeyan has served as Moderna's chairman since its founding and has been the architect of the company's strategic vision and capital structure.
Kenneth Chien
Chien's work on modified mRNA encoding VEGF-A for heart repair underpinned Moderna's early cardiovascular collaboration with AstraZeneca.
CEOs and their tenures
Gilead Sciences
- Michael Riordan1987–1996
Chief Executive Officer
He successfully navigated the brutal early stages of biotech funding, taking the company public in 1992 and establishing its foundational viral research culture.
Source - John C. Martin1996–2016
Chief Executive Officer
As CEO for two decades, he took Gilead from a small biotech startup to a pharmaceutical behemoth, generating tens of billions in revenue from Truvada and Sovaldi.
Source - John F. Milligan2016–2018
Chief Executive Officer
During his nearly three decades at Gilead, he helped build the company's HIV franchise before orchestrating the monumental financial success of the HCV cures.
Source - Daniel P. O'Day2019–present
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
O'Day's leadership has transformed Gilead from a specialized virology company into a diversified, global biopharmaceutical leader.
Source
Moderna
- Noubar Afeyan2010–present
Co-Founder & Chairman
Has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors since inception, providing venture financing, governance, and long-term capital strategy that helped build Moderna from a startup laboratory into a public biotechnology enterprise.
Source - Stéphane Bancel2011–present
Chief Executive Officer (first CEO)
Bancel has led Moderna from a pre-revenue startup to a $180 billion market cap at its peak, overseeing the development of Spikevax in record time and the company's transition to a multi-product biotechnology enterprise.
Source - Stephen Hoge2012–present
President
Serves as President directing preclinical research, clinical development, and platform innovation, leading the advancement of Moderna's pipeline from an early research concept into five commercialized vaccines and multiple late-stage Phase 3 oncology candidate…
Source - Jamey Mock2022–present
Chief Financial Officer
Oversees global finance, treasury, accounting, and investor relations, navigating Moderna through post-pandemic revenue contraction while managing cash reserves of $8.1 billion in cash and investments at the end of FY2025.
Source
Timeline: Gilead Sciences and Moderna side by side
1987Gilead Sciences
Founding of Gilead Sciences
Michael L. Riordan founded the company, originally called Oligogen, in Foster City, California, to develop antisense and antiviral therapies.
1992Gilead Sciences
Initial Public Offering
Gilead went public on Nasdaq, giving it the capital to keep developing antiviral drugs.
2001Gilead Sciences
Approval of Viread
The FDA approved Viread (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate), the nucleotide analog that became the backbone of Gilead's HIV franchise.
2003Gilead Sciences
Acquisition of Triangle Pharmaceuticals
Gilead acquired Triangle Pharmaceuticals, gaining emtricitabine, which it combined with tenofovir to create Truvada.
2005Moderna
Karikó and Weissman Publish Modified mRNA Research
Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman at the University of Pennsylvania publish foundational research demonstrating that modified nucleosides in mRNA can evade the body's inflammatory response, solving the key obstacle preventing mRNA therapeutics from clinical app…
2006Gilead Sciences
Atripla Approved
The FDA approved Atripla, the first once-daily single-tablet HIV regimen, in July 2006.
2010Moderna
Moderna Therapeutics Founded in Cambridge
Derrick Rossi, Robert Langer, Noubar Afeyan, Kenneth Chien, and Timothy Springer found Moderna Therapeutics in September 2010, with Flagship Pioneering providing seed funding and incubation.
2011Gilead Sciences
Acquisition of Pharmasset
Gilead acquired Pharmasset for about $11 billion, gaining sofosbuvir, the basis of hepatitis C cures Sovaldi and Harvoni.
2011Moderna
Stéphane Bancel Appointed Founding CEO
Stéphane Bancel, former CEO of bioMérieux and executive at Eli Lilly, joins Moderna as founding CEO, bringing pharmaceutical commercial experience to the scientific founding team.
2012Moderna
Moderna Emerges from Stealth with $40M Series A
Moderna emerges from two years of stealth operation with a $40 million Series A financing, revealing its mRNA platform technology to the public for the first time.
2013Gilead Sciences
Sovaldi Approved
The FDA approved the hepatitis C drug Sovaldi in December 2013.
2013Moderna
AstraZeneca mRNA Collaboration
Moderna signs a collaboration with AstraZeneca in March 2013 including a $240 million upfront payment to discover and develop mRNA therapeutics for cardiovascular, metabolic, renal and cancer targets, before any Moderna drug had been tested in humans.
2016Moderna
Merck Partnership for Personalized Cancer Vaccines
Moderna and Merck agree in 2016 to co-develop personalized mRNA cancer vaccines combined with Keytruda, the collaboration behind mRNA-4157 (later named intismeran autogene).
2017Gilead Sciences
Acquisition of Kite Pharma
Gilead acquired Kite Pharma for about $11.9 billion, adding the CAR-T therapy Yescarta.
2018Moderna
Moderna Completes $604 Million IPO
Moderna lists on Nasdaq in December 2018, raising about $604 million at a valuation of roughly $7.5 billion, one of the largest biotech IPOs at the time.
2020Gilead Sciences
Acquisition of Immunomedics
Gilead acquired Immunomedics for about $21 billion, adding the Trop-2 antibody-drug conjugate Trodelvy.
2020Moderna
COVID-19 Vaccine Development in Record Time
Moderna selects mRNA-1273 as its COVID-19 vaccine candidate on January 13, 2020, just two days after the SARS-CoV-2 sequence was published.
2021Moderna
COVID-19 Vaccine Revenue Reaches $18.5 Billion
Moderna reports 2021 revenue of $18.5 billion and net income of $12.2 billion, almost entirely from its COVID-19 vaccine, its first year of profitability.
2022Moderna
Revenue Peaks at $19.3 Billion
Moderna reports 2022 revenue of $19.3 billion and net income of $8.4 billion, the high point of pandemic sales, as Spikevax is approved and sold under commercial contracts.
2023Moderna
Revenue Falls to $6.8 Billion
Revenue drops to $6.8 billion in 2023 as COVID vaccination turns seasonal, and Moderna posts a $4.7 billion net loss including write-downs tied to excess manufacturing commitments.
2024Gilead Sciences
PURPOSE 1 Trial Results
Twice-yearly lenacapavir showed zero HIV infections among women in the PURPOSE 1 prevention trial.
2024Moderna
mRESVIA Approved for RSV Prevention
The FDA approves mRESVIA (mRNA-1345) in May 2024 for RSV prevention in adults 60 and older, Moderna's first non-COVID product.
2025Gilead Sciences
Yeztugo Approval and FY2025 Results
The FDA approved Yeztugo (lenacapavir) in June 2025 as the first twice-yearly HIV PrEP option. Gilead finished 2025 with $29.4 billion in revenue and $14.3 billion in Biktarvy sales.
2025Moderna
Revenue Falls to $1.9 Billion as Costs Are Cut
Moderna reports 2025 revenue of $1.94 billion and a $2.82 billion net loss, while cutting operating expenses by about $2.2 billion.
2025Moderna
CMV Vaccine Fails Phase 3 Primary Endpoint
Moderna says in October 2025 that its cytomegalovirus vaccine mRNA-1647 failed its Phase 3 primary endpoint and discontinues the congenital CMV program.
2026Gilead Sciences
Arcellx, Tubulis and Ouro Acquisitions
Gilead closed acquisitions of Arcellx (April, about $7.8 billion implied equity value), Tubulis (May, $3.15 billion upfront) and Ouro Medicines ($1.675 billion upfront).
2026Moderna
FDA Approves mFLUSIVA, First mRNA Flu Vaccine
After an initial FDA refusal-to-file letter early in 2026 was resolved, the FDA approves mFLUSIVA (mRNA-1010) on August 5, 2026 for adults 50 and older, full approval for ages 50-64 and accelerated approval for 65 and older.
2026Moderna
Intismeran Autogene Meets Phase 3 Melanoma Endpoint
On August 19, 2026 Merck and Moderna report that intismeran autogene plus Keytruda met the primary endpoint of recurrence-free survival and the key secondary endpoint of distant metastasis-free survival in the Phase 3 INTerpath-001 trial in resected stage IIB-…
Acquisitions
Gilead Sciences
- Arcellx, Inc.2026$7.8B
- Tubulis GmbH2026$3.1B
- Ouro Medicines2026$1.7B
- CymaBay Therapeutics2024$4.3B
- Immunomedics, Inc.2020$21B
- Forty Seven, Inc.2020$4.9B
Questions about Gilead Sciences vs Moderna
Who is the CEO of Gilead Sciences, Inc. and Moderna, Inc.?
Gilead Sciences, Inc. is led by Daniel P. O'Day and Moderna, Inc. is led by Stéphane Bancel. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Gilead Sciences, Inc. founded vs Moderna, Inc.?
Gilead Sciences, Inc. was founded in 1987 — 23 years before Moderna, Inc., which was founded in 2010. Gilead Sciences, Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Moderna, Inc..
How many employees does Gilead Sciences, Inc. have compared to Moderna, Inc.?
Gilead Sciences, Inc. employs approximately 17,000 people, while Moderna, Inc. employs approximately 4,700. Gilead Sciences, Inc. has the larger workforce at 17,000 employees, compared to Moderna, Inc.'s 4,700. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Gilead Sciences, Inc. and Moderna, Inc. headquartered?
Both Gilead Sciences, Inc. and Moderna, Inc. are headquartered in United States. Their local rules and tax obligations may still differ.
Who founded Gilead Sciences, Inc. and Moderna, Inc.?
Gilead Sciences, Inc. was founded by Michael L. Riordan. Moderna, Inc. was founded by Derrick Rossi, Robert Langer, Noubar Afeyan, Kenneth Chien.
Which company has a longer operating history — Gilead Sciences, Inc. or Moderna, Inc.?
Gilead Sciences, Inc. has been operating for approximately 39 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Moderna, Inc. has been in operation for around 16 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Gilead Sciences vs Moderna overview