Doctors say Tocilizumab, despite failed trial, remains vital drug

PUNE: The continued use of the drug Tocilizumab against severe Covid-19 pneumonia, despite it being written off by its makers, has sparked concern over its effectiveness among patients and kin.


Its manufacturer, Roche, had stated in July that during trials, Tocilizumab had failed to improve the condition of patients hospitalised with Covid-19 pneumonia.

But doctors said the drug is effective. “It works when used in the right subset of patients, and before there has been irreversible damage,” said senior physician Atul Joshi. He added that unchecked use of the expensive drug — often to boost treatment bills — is condemnable, but said a potentially useful line of treatment should not be blacklisted or banned.

Experts said Tocilizumab yields good outcomes in patients with early-stage hypoxia (absence of enough oxygen). Infectious diseases expert Parikshit Prayag, said, “Tocilizumab needs to be used early during hypoxia, not when lung damage has become irreversible. When patients have advanced respiratory failure and are on mechanical ventilation, it means lung damage is substantial. At that point Tocilizumab is unlikely to make a huge difference.”

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