<p>A drug used to treat inflammation in arthritis patients, Actemra, could be the answer to coronavirus cure. </p>.<p>Swiss drugmaker Roche on Wednesday got China's approval for the anti-inflammation drug Actemra that gave hope to fight the deadly coronavirus in which over 95,000 people have been infected and over 3,200 have died worldwide. </p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/coronavirus-outbreak-live-ghaziabad-man-tests-positive-for-covid-19-total-cases-rise-to-30-in-india-799686.html" target="_blank"><strong>Track live updates of coronavirus cases in India here</strong></a></p>.<p><strong>Here's all you need to know about Actemra</strong></p>.<p>1. Actemra, known generically as tocilizumab, is a biologic drug approved in 2010 in the United States for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). </p>.<p>2. The drug contains high Interleukin 6 (IL-6) protein levels that drive some inflammatory diseases.</p>.<p>3. China's National Health Commission said in treatment guidelines published online on Wednesday that Actemra can now be used to treat coronavirus patients with serious lung damage and high IL-6 levels.</p>.<p>4. Roche donated nearly $2 million worth of Actemra to China, according to a blog post by its local operations.</p>.<p>5. As of now, there is no published clinical trial data on the drug's safety or efficacy against the coronavirus.</p>.<p>6. Separately, researchers in the country are testing Actemra in a clinical trial. They are expected to include 188 coronavirus patients and the trial may run until May 10.</p>.<p>7. Since its approval a decade ago, Actemra has become a go-to drug against inflammatory conditions, including cytokine storms in cancer patients receiving cell therapies from Novartis and Gilead Sciences.</p>
<p>A drug used to treat inflammation in arthritis patients, Actemra, could be the answer to coronavirus cure. </p>.<p>Swiss drugmaker Roche on Wednesday got China's approval for the anti-inflammation drug Actemra that gave hope to fight the deadly coronavirus in which over 95,000 people have been infected and over 3,200 have died worldwide. </p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/coronavirus-outbreak-live-ghaziabad-man-tests-positive-for-covid-19-total-cases-rise-to-30-in-india-799686.html" target="_blank"><strong>Track live updates of coronavirus cases in India here</strong></a></p>.<p><strong>Here's all you need to know about Actemra</strong></p>.<p>1. Actemra, known generically as tocilizumab, is a biologic drug approved in 2010 in the United States for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). </p>.<p>2. The drug contains high Interleukin 6 (IL-6) protein levels that drive some inflammatory diseases.</p>.<p>3. China's National Health Commission said in treatment guidelines published online on Wednesday that Actemra can now be used to treat coronavirus patients with serious lung damage and high IL-6 levels.</p>.<p>4. Roche donated nearly $2 million worth of Actemra to China, according to a blog post by its local operations.</p>.<p>5. As of now, there is no published clinical trial data on the drug's safety or efficacy against the coronavirus.</p>.<p>6. Separately, researchers in the country are testing Actemra in a clinical trial. They are expected to include 188 coronavirus patients and the trial may run until May 10.</p>.<p>7. Since its approval a decade ago, Actemra has become a go-to drug against inflammatory conditions, including cytokine storms in cancer patients receiving cell therapies from Novartis and Gilead Sciences.</p>
