tocilizumab   Click here for help

GtoPdb Ligand ID: 6881

Synonyms: Actemra® | R-1569 | RG-1569 | RHPM-1 | RoActemra®
Approved drug Immunopharmacology Ligand
tocilizumab is an approved drug (Japan (2005), EMA (2009), FDA (2010))
Compound class: Antibody
Comment: Tocilizumab is an anti-IL-6 receptor mAb, with immunosuppressive action [12] that is approved for chronic autoimmune indications.
Annotated peptide sequences for this antibody are available from its IMGT/mAb-DB record.

SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19: In early March 2020, China's National Health Commission issued guidance to allow use of tocilizumab to treat patients with serious COVID-19-induced lung damage. Tocilizumab was predicted to mitigate against the uncontrolled immune response that is triggered by SARS-CoV-2 infection [4,17] in some patients and which leads to potentially life-threatening damage to the lungs and other organs. Clinical trials began to reveal outcomes by later in 2020, but the level of benefit remained unclear [5-6,14-15] and required further investigations. Differences between the studies (timing of treatment, severity of disease at initiation of treatment etc.) made it difficult to compare results and form a solid conclusion. In early January 2021, data was reported from a small cohort of severely ill, mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients in the REMAP-CAP trial (NCT02735707) who received tocilizumab. The study results were published [13] in April 2021, and showed that tocilizumab (compared to standard care) significantly improved outcomes, including survival. This effect appears to be in addition to the clinical benefit conferred by dexamathasone. As a result of this report of efficacy the UK Department of Health and Social Care issued updated guidance on the use of tocilizumab (on 8th Jan; link to gov.uk press release) to NHS trusts across the UK.

Long COVID: A UK clinical study (PHOSP-I) was initiated in 2024 to evaluate the benefit of tocilizumab therapy on health-related quality of life in patients with long COVID and persistent inflammation (ISRCTN46454974).

Biosimilars:
NameTrade nameCompanyClinical PhaseIndications
tocilizumab-bavi; BIIB800Tofidence BiogenApproved (2023)As per reference agent
QX003Sn/aQyuns Therapeutics1 [19]inflammatory/immune diseases
tocilizumab-aazg; MSB11456TyenneFresenius KabiApproved (2023)As per reference agent
LZM008n/a Livzon Mabpharm1 [3]inflammatory/immune diseases
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Immunopharmacology Comments
Tocilizumab blocks IL-6R activation, which in turn leads to a reduction in cytokine and acute phase reactant production, and eventual symptomatic relief.
Immunopharmacology Disease
Disease X-Refs Comment References
Temporal arteritis Disease Ontology: DOID:13375
OMIM: 187360
Orphanet: ORPHA397
Approved drug for temporal (giant cell) arteritis (May 2017). 16
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis- systemic OMIM: 604302
An anti-IL-6 therapy approved for sJIA.
Rheumatoid arthritis Disease Ontology: DOID:7148
OMIM: 180300
Tocilizumab was the first humanized mAb to be developed against human IL-6 receptors, and is now an approved therapeutic for RA.
Immunopaedia Case Studies Links
A case of lymphadenopathy and night sweats