Roche's tocilizumab recommended for severe COVID by EMA advisory panel

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• The European Medicine Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use has recommended extending the approval of Roche's (OTCQX:RHHBY +0.6%) RoActemra (tocilizumab) for COVID-19 patients on corticosteroids and supplemental oxygen or mechanical ventilation.
• The monoclonal antibody treatment is already approved in the EU for inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.
• A study of more than 4,100 adults hospitalized with severe COVID-19 found that RoActemra reduced the risk of death when added to standard treatment.
• Tocilizumab, known as Actemra in the U.S., has Emergency Use Authorization for the COVID indication there.