Recently the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of subcutaneous tocilizumab to include in the treatment of adults with giant cell arteritis. Tocilizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody that targets the interleukin-6 receptor, will be the first FDA-approved therapy specific to the disorder. Moreover, FDA granted a breakthrough therapy designation and a priority review for tocilizumab for this indication. Giant cell arteritis, also referred to as temporal arteritis, is a type of vasculitis that causes arteries to become narrow or irregular, disrupting blood flow.
It occurs mostly in the arteries of the head - particularly the temporal arteries - but can also cause inflammation in other blood vessels, including the aorta. Tocilizumab is an immunosuppressive drug, mainly for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis. It is a…
