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