Tocilizumab for Patients With Cancer and COVID-19 Disease

Summary

This phase II expanded access trial will study how well tocilizumab works in reducing the serious symptoms including pneumonitis (severe acute respiratory distress) in patients with cancer and COVID-19. COVID-19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. COVID-19 can be associated with an inflammatory response by the immune system which may also cause symptoms of COVID-19 to worsen. This inflammation may be called "cytokine storm," which can cause widespread problems in the body. Tocilizumab is a medicine designed to block the action of a protein called interleukin-6 (IL-6) that is involved with the immune system and is known to be a key factor for problems with excessive inflammation. Tocilizumab is effective in treating "cytokine storm" from a type of cancer immunotherapy and may be effective in reducing the inflammatory response and "cytokine storm" seen in severe COVID-19 disease. Treating the inflammation may help to reduce symptoms, improve the ability to breathe without a breathing machine (ventilator), and prevent patients from having more complications.

Timeline

Start

2020-05-28

Primary completion

2021-01-14

Completion

2021-01-14

Drugs

Indications