Actemra: The drug that could be the cure for the novel coronavirus

A drug used to treat inflammation in arthritis patients, Actemra, could be the answer to coronavirus cure.

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.

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Here's all you need to know about Actemra

1. Actemra, known generically as tocilizumab, is a biologic drug approved in 2010 in the United States for rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

2. The drug contains high Interleukin 6 (IL-6) protein levels that drive some inflammatory diseases.

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.

4. Roche donated nearly $2 million worth of Actemra to China, according to a blog post by its local operations.

5. As of now, there is no published clinical trial data on the drug's safety or efficacy against the coronavirus.

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.

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.