Rheumatoid arthritis drug tocilizumab advances as a COVID treatment, as other regimens fall back, studies show
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/hea ... 650814001/
The list of drugs shown as effective for treating COVID-19 got longer Tuesday.
In a large clinical study, tocilizumab, an immune modulator long used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, showed it can save lives if given to critically ill COVID-19 patients within the first two days of being admitted to an intensive care unit.
The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, showed just over 27% of ICU patients treated with tocilizumab died within a month, compared with 37% of those just as seriously ill who did not receive the drug.
Tocilizumab, a so-called monoclonal antibody, has been used during the outbreak because of its effect on tamping down immune over-reactions, which have been common with COVID-19.
However, smaller studies, including one published at the same time by the same journal have shown mixed results, with some finding the drug did not reduce deaths.
– Karen Weintraub