2 November 2017 - Actemra is the first non-steroid treatment designed to directly target the interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor, offering a new option to treat giant cell arteritis.

Hoffmann-La Roche Limited (Roche Canada) today announced that Health Canada has approved Actemra (tocilizumab) for the treatment of adult patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA). The approval was based on the outcome of the phase III GiACTA study, which showed that Actemra, initially combined with a six-month steroid taper, sustained remission at one year in 56% and 53% of patients (with the weekly and bi-weekly doses respectively), compared to 14 per cent of patients in the placebo arm with a six-month steroid taper given alone.

Actemra is designed to directly target the interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor, a protein that is made by the immune system, which the body uses to manage infections and plays a major role in the signs and symptoms of GCA. There have been no new treatments in more than 50 years.

Read Roche press release