The high mutation rate of SARS-COV-2 and the possibility of a third wave of COVID-19 have mandated the repurposing of several drugs. Developing new therapies against COVID-19 is the need of the hour. The USFDA has recently authorized a new drug to treat hospitalized COVID-19 patients. The USFDA has granted emergency use authorization to tocilizumab for treating hospitalized COVID-19 patients above two years of age.
The drug can be prescribed to patients receiving systemic corticosteroids or those requiring supplemental oxygen, non-invasive or invasive mechanical ventilation, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. However, it is NOT approved for treating outpatients with COVID-19. Tocilizumab is originally indicated for rheumatoid arthritis, giant cell arteritis, polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and cytokine release syndrome. It is a monoclonal antibody that blocks the…
