AstraZeneca's Acquisition of Gilead Would Create a COVID-19 Colossus -- but Don't Bet on Seeing It Happen

Nothing should be absolutely shocking in the biopharmaceutical world. But I'll admit, the reports that surfaced over the weekend that AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN) was interested in acquiring Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ: GILD) were surprising.

Bloomberg recently reported that AstraZeneca had reached out to Gilead last month about a potential deal, according to the always-intriguing sources of "people familiar with the matter." Should this acquisition actually move forward, it would be the biggest healthcare deal ever -- and there have been plenty of really big takeovers in the healthcare sector over the last few years. 

The combination of AstraZeneca and Gilead would create a COVID-19 colossus, considering that both companies have leading coronavirus programs. But don't bet on seeing this deal ever happen. 

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Source Fool.com