New Delhi, March 6 : Arthritis drug tocilizumab has been found to reduce the risk of death among patients with severe Covid-19 in a phase 3 trial conducted in India.
However, the findings, published in the journal The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, does not support the routine use of tocilizumab in adults with Covid-19.
Explaining the results, the National Lead investigator and Chairman of the Medanta Liver Institute, Arvinder Soin said that this was the first phase 3 study to demonstrate that while routine use of tocilizumab on all hospitalised Covid patients was not warranted, the drug improved survival among patients with severe Covid-19.
Several well known public and private tertiary care hospitals from 10 Indian cities participated in the study.
A total of 180 patients were recruited, 90 of whom received tocilizumab (TCZ) and standard care, whereas the other 90 received only standard care.
Steroids and remdesivir once allowed by the MoHFW, were administered to patients in both groups.
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