US FDA approves humanized anti-human IL-6 receptor monoclonal antibody Actemra to treat RA

Chugai Pharmaceutical Co, Ltd and F Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd announced that the United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Actemra, the humanized anti-human IL-6 (interleukin-6) receptor monoclonal antibody (tocilizumab, RoACTEMRA in the European Union) for the treatment of adult patients with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who have had an inadequate response to one or more tumour necrosis factor (TNF) antagonist therapies. Actemra, the result of research collaboration between Chugai and Osaka University, is the first interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor-inhibiting monoclonal antibody approved to treat RA, and may be used alone or in combination with methotrexate or other disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs).