Tocilizumab has been used for ICU patients with severe COVID-19, what is the rationale?
Tocilizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody specific for IL-6R, and it is approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. A positive response to tocilizumab points towards an imbalanced innate immune response in severe COVID-19. Luo et al .164reported that of the 15 patients treated with tocilizumab, 7 of them critically ill, 11 of the patients recovered within a week. Prompt resolution of symptoms and encouraging results have also been reported in uncontrolled or retrospective trials.165-176