| In June, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave Actemra, also known as tocilizumab, an emergency use authorization to treat hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
The monoclonal antibody treatment blocks an inflammatory protein called IL-6 that causes damage in rheumatoid arthritis. That same protein plays a role in some of the serious symptoms in people with severe COVID-19 infections.
The latest surge in cases caused a global shortage of Actemra. Genentech, the company that makes the drug, doesn’t have enough for everyone who needs it. Last week, the company said demand went up more than 400% beyond pre-COVID levels in just two weeks.
In the United States, supplies of several dose levels of this medicine have been out of stock since last Monday.
On Thursday, Genentech sent a notice to customers saying it was “working as urgently as possible to expedite replenishments and increase manufacturing capacity and supply wherever possible.”
A subcutaneous injectible form of Actemra that has not been authorized to treat COVID-19 is still available for patients with rheumatoid arthritis, although it’s unclear if insurance would cover it.
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