Roche announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted the company’s supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) and has granted Priority Review for Actemra/RoActemra (tocilizumab) intravenous for the treatment of Covid-19 in hospitalised adults who are receiving systemic corticosteroids and require supplemental oxygen, non-invasive or invasive mechanical ventilation, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. A decision on U.S. FDA approval is expected in the second half of this year.

“The high rate of unvaccinated people will continue to put a strain on hospitals and healthcare systems around the world, furthering the need for effective treatments for patients hospitalised with Covid-19,” said Levi Garraway, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer and Head of Global Product Development, Roche. “More than one million people with severe or critical Covid-19 have already been treated with Actemra/RoActemra worldwide, demonstrating the important role of this medicine in the fight against the pandemic.”

The sBLA submission is based on results from four randomised, controlled studies that evaluated Actemra/RoActemra for the treatment of Covid-19 in more than 5,500 hospitalised patients. Altogether, the results of these four studies (EMPACTA, COVACTA, REMDACTA, and RECOVERY) suggest that Actemra/RoActemra may improve outcomes in patients receiving corticosteroids and requiring supplemental oxygen or breathing support.2-5

In June 2021, Actemra/RoActemra received Emergency Use Authorization from the U.S. FDA and is currently approved for use in 16 countries around the world for defined patients hospitalised with severe or critical Covid-19. In February 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) prequalified Actemra/RoActemra for patients with severe or critical Covid-19, supporting access to care in low- and middle-income countries.

 In addition to working with health authorities, Roche has established a comprehensive access approach to improve the availability of its Covid-19 medicines around the world.