Arthritis drug could be major player in battling Covid

HOPES are rising that a breakthrough coronavirus drug can save lives by halting the immune system ‘storm’ that has killed thousands of people.

Results of a major trial of anti-inflammatory treatment tocilizumab are expected to be published this week.

Doctors have expressed much confidence that the drug, which was originally developed as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, will stop the hyper-inflammatory storm that happens when the immune system starts attacking the body. If this process can be halted it could dramatically reduce coronavirus deaths, many of which are caused by this aggressive immune response rather than the virus itself.

If successful, it would be only the second drug to be proven to save lives from coronavirus – so far the only treatment shown to work is steroid dexamethasone.

Researchers believe a wide variety of Covid treatments are needed to make the biggest difference, allowing doctors to target drugs against specific problems.

The trial – which has involved 450 Covid-19 patients around the world – was completed on July 22, according to investigators leading the trials.

Swiss drugs giant Roche, which is reponsible for making the treatment, is expected to announce the findings to the stock market in the coming days.

Doctors have not yet seen the results but are hopeful of a positive outcome.

Dr Taryn Youngstein, of Imperial College London, who worked on the trial, said: ‘It’s very clear that the major form of Covid that kills people is related to the host response – the body’s response to the virus – rather than the virus itself.

‘We need to think about how we can suppress this responsen.’

Tocilizumab has been used for years to dampen the immune response in rheumatoid arthritis.