Actemra from Roche Bolsters COVID-19 Outcomes, Study Says

Roche’s rheumatoid arthritis drug Actemra (tocilizumab) reduced mortality and improved outcomes for high-risk COVID-19 patients in a clinical trial by researchers at Imperial College London.

The study evaluated the efficacy of Actemra along with other immunosuppressive drugs in COVID-19 patients vs. those who did not receive them. In the 303 participants randomized to receive an immunosuppressor, Actemra showed a 99.75 percent efficacy.

The UK researchers also found that AbbVie’s HIV antiviral Kaletra (lopinavir/ritonavir) provided no benefit for critically ill COVID-19 patients.