Roche’s Actemra Flops as COVID-19 Treatment in Phase 3 Trial

Roche’s rheumatoid arthritis drug Actemra (tocilizumab) failed to provide benefit in a phase 3 trial evaluating it for treatment of hospitalized COVID-19 patients with severe pneumonia.

While there was a shorter time to discharge in those taking Actemra compared to placebo, the difference was not considered statistically significant.

The trial also found nearly identical rates of mortality by week four between the two groups.