Drug results: 2

tocilizumab A humanised anti-interleukin-6 receptor monoclonal antibody. Its potential to combat cytokine release syndrome (CRS) in patients with severely ill COVID-19 was investigated. Accordingly, it is recommended to use tocilizumabin combination with dexamethasone (or another corticosteroid at an equivalent dose) in certain hospitalized patients who are exhibiting rapid respiratory decompensation caused by COVID-19.
sarilumab Sarilumab is a human recombinant monoclonal antibody of the IgG1 subclass. Sarilumab is produced by recombinant DNA technology in Chinese Hamster Ovary cell suspension culture. Sarilumab binds to both soluble and membrane-bound IL-6 receptors (sIL-6R and mIL-6R), and has been shown to inhibit IL-6-mediated signaling through these receptors. IL-6 is a pleiotropic pro-inflammatory cytokine produced by a variety of cell types including T- and B-cells, lymphocytes, monocytes, and fibroblasts. IL-6 has been shown to be involved in diverse physiological processes such as T-cell activation, induction of immunoglobulin secretion, initiation of hepatic acute phase protein synthesis, and stimulation of hematopoietic precursor cell proliferation and differentiation. IL-6 is also produced by synovial and endothelial cells leading to local production of IL-6 in joints affected by inflammatory processes such as rheumatoid arthritis. Based on encouraging results in China with a similar drug, tocilizumab, a phase 2/3 US study evaluating efficacy and safety of sarilumab in patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19 was performed. At the moment, there are insufficient data to recommend either for or against use of sarilumab for hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

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