On May 1, 2020, Gilead announced the FDA granted emergency use authorization (EUA) for the investigational antiviral remdesivir to treat COVID-19. The EUA will facilitate broader use of remdesivir to treat hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19 disease, enabling access to remdesivir at additional hospitals across the country.

Gilead supplemented internal manufacturing with significant additional capacity from multiple partners in North America, Europe and Asia. The company set a goal of producing at least 500,000 treatment courses by October, and 1 million treatment courses by December 2020.