Government in no rush to grant 'compulsory licences'
Amid suggestions to use the tool for Remdisivir and Tocilizumab, two drugs that are being used, government sources said that it made little sense to invoke compulsory licensing provisions, given that the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) is not available in the country. (Source: The Economic Times)
Source: The Economic Times - May 7, 2021 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
Delhi HC asks Centre to hold meeting with Roche to ensure immediate supply of Tocilizumab
Justice Prathiba M Singh said the officials of the ministry and the department shall hold a meeting with representatives of Roche India and its distributors here "to communicate and assess the demand for this drug in India". (Source: The Economic Times Healthcare and Biotech News)
Source: The Economic Times Healthcare and Biotech News - May 7, 2021 Category: Pharmaceuticals Source Type: news
Tocilizumab in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial, The Lancet
In patients with hypoxia and evidence of systemic inflammation (C-reactive protein ≥75 mg/L), the addition of tocilizumab to usual standard of care (82% receiving systemic corticosteroids) reduced 28-day mortality (31% v 35%; rate ratio 0.85; 95% CI 0.76–0.94; p=0.0028). (Source: Current Awareness Service for Health (CASH))
Source: Current Awareness Service for Health (CASH) - May 4, 2021 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
Vision Loss in Giant Cell Arteritis Treated With Tocilizumab Vision Loss in Giant Cell Arteritis Treated With Tocilizumab
A new study examines the incidence of vision loss among patients with giant cell arteritis during treatment with tocilizumab compared with conventional glucocorticoid therapy.Arthritis Research & Therapy (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)
Source: Medscape Today Headlines - April 30, 2021 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Rheumatology Journal Article Source Type: news
Novartis signs initial agreement to reserve capacity and implement the technology transfer for the production of the active pharmaceutical ingredient for Roche's Actemra/RoActemra ®
Novartis has signed an initial agreement with Roche to reserve capacity and implement the technology transfer for the production of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) for Roche's Actemra/RoActemra® (tocilizumab), a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis which is also being tested in various clinical trials investigating the safety and efficacy in COVID-19 associated pneumonia. (Source: World Pharma News)
Source: World Pharma News - April 29, 2021 Category: Pharmaceuticals Tags: Featured Novartis Business and Industry Source Type: news
Private hospitals to get remdesivir and tocilizumab through state governments
Private hospitals won ’t be able to procure remdesivir and tocilizumab required for Covid-19 treatment directly from manufacturers and will have to get them based on quotas set by state governments, which will, in turn, get them from the Centre. (Source: The Economic Times)
Source: The Economic Times - April 29, 2021 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
RA Biologic's Serious Infection Risk Confounded by Order of Use RA Biologic's Serious Infection Risk Confounded by Order of Use
The risk for serious infection seen with tocilizumab is confounded by whether the drug is given as first-line or as subsequent treatment in the line of therapy.Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines)
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines - April 28, 2021 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Rheumatology News Source Type: news
Govt makes interim allocation of COVID-19 treatment drug tocilizumab to states
In a letter, Pharma Joint Secretary Navdeep Rinwa and Health and Family Welfare Ministry Director Rajiv Wadhawan said the drug went out of stock in the country a few weeks ago due to a sudden surge in its demand because of a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases in the country. (Source: The Economic Times Healthcare and Biotech News)
Source: The Economic Times Healthcare and Biotech News - April 28, 2021 Category: Pharmaceuticals Source Type: news
Tocilizumab Preserves Lung Function in Early Systemic Sclerosis
Stabilization of lung function independent of the extent of quantitative radiographic interstitial lung disease or fibrosis at baseline (Source: Pulmonary Medicine News - Doctors Lounge)
Source: Pulmonary Medicine News - Doctors Lounge - April 23, 2021 Category: Respiratory Medicine Tags: Dermatology, Pharmacy, Pulmonology, Radiology, Rheumatology, Journal, Source Type: news
Tocilizumab Preserves Lung Function in Early Systemic Sclerosis
FRIDAY, April 23, 2021 -- Tocilizumab prevents progression of interstitial lung disease in patients with early systemic sclerosis (SSc), according to a study recently published in Arthritis& Rheumatology.
David Roofeh, M.D., from the... (Source: Drugs.com - Pharma News)
Source: Drugs.com - Pharma News - April 23, 2021 Category: Pharmaceuticals Source Type: news
Govt issues updated clinical guidance for management of COVID-19 patients
The guidelines issued by AIIMS, ICMR-COVID-19 National Task Force and the Joint Monitoring Group (DGHS) under the ministry stated that tocilizumab (a drug that modifies the immune system or its functioning) may be considered in patients with significantly raised inflammatory markers and not improving despite use of steroids with there being no active bacterial/fungal/tubercular infection. (Source: The Economic Times)
Source: The Economic Times - April 23, 2021 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
The effect of tocilizumab on COVID-19 patient mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials, International Immunopharmacology
Analysis (8 RCTs, n=6314) found tocilizumab does not provide a survival benefit for patients with COVID-19 (mortality at day 28 = 24.4% and 29.9% in tocilizumab and control groups, respectively), but it may help reduce the risk of mechanical ventilation and ICU admission. (Source: Current Awareness Service for Health (CASH))
Source: Current Awareness Service for Health (CASH) - April 21, 2021 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
COVID-19 rapid guideline: managing COVID-19 [NG191], NICE (updated 8th April 2021)
This guideline covers the management of COVID-19 for children, young people and adults in all care settings. It brings together existing recommendations on managing COVID-19 so that healthcare staff and those planning and delivering services can find and use them more easily. The guideline includes new recommendations on therapeutics, and we will update the guideline further as new evidence emerges.
8 April 2021, Recommendations for using corticosteroids, tocilizumab and sarilumab to treat COVID-19 were added (including the evidence and rationale for making the recommendations). (Source: Current Awareness Service for Health (CASH))
Source: Current Awareness Service for Health (CASH) - April 15, 2021 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis after treatment with tocilizumab in a patient with COVID-19 ARDS: a case report, Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease
We present the case of a previously immunocompetent man with coronavirus disease-2019 who developed invasive pulmonary aspergillosis after treatment with tocilizumab, illustrating the importance of considering opportunistic infections when providing immune modulating therapy. (Source: Current Awareness Service for Health (CASH))
Source: Current Awareness Service for Health (CASH) - April 15, 2021 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
FDA Approves Xolair (omalizumab) Prefilled Syringe for Self-Injection Across All Indications
● Xolair for self-injection offers healthcare providers and appropriate patients another administration option for more flexibility in managing their treatmentBasel, 13 April 2020 - Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the company ’s supplemental Biologics License Application for Xolair® (omalizumab) prefilled syringe for self-injection across all approved U.S. indications.1 Xolair is the only FDA-approved biologic designed to target and block immunoglobulin E (IgE) for the treatment of moderate to severe persistent allergic asthma, chronic...
Source: Roche Investor Update - April 13, 2021 Category: Pharmaceuticals Source Type: news
