In memoriam May 3, 2021 Dr John C Martin, former chairman and CEO of Gilead Sciences, Inc, passed away on March 30 in California at the age of 70. A true innovator, John transformed Gilead from a mid-sized player into a juggernaut in the virology space, pioneering a series of revolutionary single-pill treatments that effectively reduced HIV from a deadly pandemic to a disease that is now both preventable and controllable with highly effective antiretroviral medicines. Under his stewardship, Gilead created highly effective treatments for hepatitis B and revolutionized the treatment of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) with the launch of Sovaldi, the first oral treatment for HCV in 2013. This was followed by a series of even more effective treatments, which have reduced treatment duration to 12 weeks and cure rates to above 95 percent.