Gilead Sciences (GILD) has had positive vibes lately. The company not only has an ample pipeline of new drugs, but there's also an important world trade angle for the company.

The treatment that has been getting a lot of attention lately is the company's new AIDS treatment. A few weeks ago, the company presented data to the major annual European AIDS conference that showed the benefits of switching patients from twice-daily doses of Combivir, made by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to once-daily doses of Gilead's Truvada. A study showed that a number of side effects were diminished when patients switched to Gilead's HIV treatment: Patients didn't gain as much weight, their hemoglobin levels improved and all of their lipid parameters improved, as well. These kinds of positive results were a key reason why new European HIV treatment guidelines issued last month listed Truvada as the best treatment regiment for new AIDS patients.

This was a one-year study that Goldman Sachs analysts agreed was consistent with results from other studies on switching from Combivir to Truvada. So based on the long-term efficacy and safety of the Truvada regiment, it looks to me that Gilead is set for a steadfast expansion of this franchise worldwide. Next month, we may also learn that Europe has approved Atripla, which is a once-daily combination of Truvada and another Gilead therapy called Sustiva that is also used to treat HIV.