WHO approves two arthritis drugs to help reduce COVID-19 death risk

The World Health Organization has recommended the use of two arthritis drugs, Kevzara from Sanofi and Actemra from Roche, along with corticosteroids for reducing the death risk associated with COVID-19. The announcement was made after the drugs were found to be effective in a study that involved around 11,000 patients.

Notably, both Actemra and Kevzara are interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor antagonists and are mostly used to treat anti-inflammatory conditions. A WHO group that analyzes therapies deemed the two drugs to be fit to treat critical COVID-19 patients, especially to reduce the death risk and the need for mechanical ventilation.

As per WHO’s analysis, patients with the possibility of death within 28 days and who have received one of the arthritis drugs along with corticosteroids like dexamethasone was found to be 21%, as compared with an assumed risk of 25% in those who have opted for standard care.

Among the patients who were given corticosteroids, the death risk was found to be 26% for those receiving IL-6 antagonists compared with an estimated 33% for those getting standard care. WHO has claimed that for every 100 such patients, 7 more will survive without the help of ventilators.

The health regulator’s study involved 10,930 patients, of which 6,449 were given the arthritis drugs while the remaining received the usual care or a placebo. It was conducted in collaboration with by University College London, University of Bristol, King’s College London along with Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has already issued a EUA (emergency use authorization) for the Actemra for the treatment of COVID-19 affected patients, subsequently escalating the sales of the drug by nearly one-third to USD 3 billion.

Sanofi reported the sales of Kevzara rose 30% in 2020. However, several failures emerged when the companies tried the medicines on various groups of patients.

As a result, the efficacy tests of both the drugs among COVID-19 affected patients are still going through trial and error.

Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/who-recommends-two-arthritis-drugs-help-cut-covid-death-risk-n1273171