The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche’s Actemra (tocilizumab) to treat severe coronavirus cases.
What is Actemra?
Actemra is a drug developed by Roche to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions affecting the immune system. As well as inflammatory damage caused by certain types of chemotherapy. It is an IL-6 inhibitor, meaning it helps block the cytokine that can lead to an uncontrollable reaction from the body.
Approval for Treating Severe COVID-19 Cases
The FDA has approved the drug for use in treating patients with severe cases of COVID-19, where other treatments have failed. The approval is for adult and pediatric patients aged two years and older.
The decision was mainly based on data from the Adaptive COVID-19 Treatment Trial (ACTT-2). Which is a randomized clinical trial of more than 1,000 patients with severe cases of COVID-19. Who had not responded well to other treatments. The study showed that Actemra was associated with faster and longer-lasting improvement in patients’ symptoms.
Advantages of Using Actemra
Some of the benefits of using Actemra to treat severe COVID cases include:
- Reduces Inflammation. Actemra helps to reduce inflammation and curb excessive cytokine production that can lead to an overactive immune response in patients with severe COVID-19.
- Fewer Side Effects. Unlike some other treatments for COVID-19. Actemra does not have the same side effects, making it a safer option for treating severe cases.
- Cost Effective: Actemra is comparatively inexpensive, making it more affordable for patients to access treatment.
The FDA is continuing to evaluate data from the ACTT-2 study. And will continue to update healthcare professionals and the public with new developments. Roche is also continuing to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Actemra in treating severe cases of COVID-19.
1 comment
I loved as much as youll receive carried out right here The sketch is attractive your authored material stylish nonetheless you command get bought an nervousness over that you wish be delivering the following unwell unquestionably come more formerly again as exactly the same nearly a lot often inside case you shield this hike