tocilizumab   Click here for help

GtoPdb Ligand ID: 6881

Synonyms: Actemra® | R-1569 | RG-1569 | RHPM-1 | RoActemra®
Approved drug Immunopharmacology Ligand
tocilizumab is an approved drug (Japan (2005), EMA (2009), FDA (2010))
Compound class: Antibody
Comment: Tocilizumab is an anti-IL-6 receptor mAb, with immunosuppressive action [12] that is approved for chronic autoimmune indications.
Annotated peptide sequences for this antibody are available from its IMGT/mAb-DB record.

SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19: In early March 2020, China's National Health Commission issued guidance that allows use of tocilizumab to treat patients with serious COVID-19-induced lung damage. Tocilizumab is predicted to mitigate against the uncontrolled immune response that is triggered by SARS-CoV-2 infection [4,16] in some patients and which leads to potentially life-threatening damage to the lungs and other organs. Clinical trials are beginning to reveal outcomes (Oct 2020), but the level of benefit remains unclear [5-6,13-14] and requires further investigations. Differences between the studies (timing of treatment, severity of disease at initiation of treatment etc.) make it difficult to compare results and form a solid conclusion. In early January 2021, data was reported from a small cohort of severely ill, mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients in the REMAP-CAP trial (NCT02735707) who received tocilizumab. The information released (data not yet peer-reviewed) suggested that tocilizumab (compared to standard care) significantly reduced mortality and that patients treated with this mAb were able to leave intensive care 7-10 days earlier than those who didn't receive the drug. This effect appears to be in addition to the clinical benefit conferred by dexamathasone. As a result of this latest report, the UK Department of Health and Social Care was set to issue updated guidance (on 8th Jan; link to gov.uk press release) which will encourage NHS trusts across the UK to immediately begin using existing stocks of tocilizumab in their treatment of critically ill COVID-19 patients in ICUs.

Biosimilars:
NameTrade nameCompanyClinical PhaseIndications
tocilizumab-bavi; BIIB800Tofidence BiogenApproved (2023)As per reference agent
QX003Sn/aQyuns Therapeutics1 [18]inflammatory/immune diseases
tocilizumab-aazg; MSB11456TyenneFresenius KabiApproved (2024)As per reference agent
LZM008n/a Livzon Mabpharm1 [3]inflammatory/immune diseases
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Bioactivity Comments
Unfortunately, we have been unable to find publicly available data providing a binding affinity for this antibody at its molecular target.
Selectivity at catalytic receptors
Key to terms and symbols Click column headers to sort
Target Sp. Type Action Value Parameter Concentration range (M) Reference
Interleukin-6 receptor Primary target of this compound Hs Antibody Binding 8.6 pKd -
pKd 8.6 (Kd 2.54x10-9 M)