Agrima Bhatt, Rajasthan University
Current Scenario
The emergence of coronavirus from 2019 till now has led to a global healthcare crisis all over the world. Recent data of COVID-19 shows data as of July 7 having 184,324,026 confirmed cases and 3,992,680 deaths. Although vaccination has started to pick up pace in many countries, the risk of the disease has not gone away yet from people’s minds.
Even with some of the countries being under evening lockdowns and curfews, scientists have spread the word to the public of the upcoming third wave, especially in heavily populated and developing countries. With more than 3 million deaths, the severity of the coronavirus is still a talking point and should not be taken lightly. Studies have shown that the overreaction of the body’s immune system i.e.; the inflammatory response by the host is responsible for the severity of COVID infection.
As a response to improving the health of critically ill patients, researchers studied the efficacy of drugs and among those glucocorticoids were proven to have the most positive results among severely ill patients.
Traditionally, Tocilizumab and Sarilumab are drugs given to patients with rheumatoid arthritis. According to reports, patients administered with these drugs displayed a lower risk of severity and hospitalization. The study involved nearly 11,000 patients from around 28 countries who were subjected to 27 randomized trials for this conclusion. Administration of the drugs reduced the chances of death by 13% and the chances of being hospitalized were drastically reduced to 28%. WHO has recommended the use of these drugs along with corticosteroids for use in patients having critical COVID-19 complications. WHO has given instructions to manufacturers for the cost reduction of drugs and readily supplying it at priority to low and middle-income nations who are at risk of a third wave.
Working of drugs on the immune system of the body
Tocilizumab and Sarilumab, are Interleukin-6 blocking drugs which as understood by the name function by blocking the Interleukin-6 released as a response to foreign particles entering and in turn stimulates the inflammatory pathways. These inflammatory pathways are the core reason through which coronavirus complications develop. Tocilizumab and Sarilumab work primarily as monoclonal antibodies and inhibit the receptors both membrane-bound and soluble for interleukin-6 and therefore, stops further functioning.
Method of administration
These arthritis drugs target proteins called cytokines or also known as Interleukin-6 receptors, responsible for the immune response of the body. Tocilizumab is administered into the body intravenously every once in 4 weeks whereas Sarilumab is administered through subcutaneous injections once every week. Treatment with the interleukin-6 receptor antagonists tocilizumab and sarilumab improved outcomes, including survival, in critically sick adult patients suffering from Covid-19 who were receiving help from life and organ support in ICUs.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated the fact that these drugs provide hope for families who are still suffering from the devastating impacts of COVID-19. However, for the majority of the world, these common arthritis drugs remain inaccessible and unaffordable and we must provide these countries with high priority to fight COVID-19.
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References:
- Sharma, N. C. (2021, July 7). WHO recommends tocilizumab, sarilumab for critically ill covid patients. Mint. https://www.livemint.com/news/india/who-recommends-tocilizumab-sarilumab-for-critically-ill-covid-patients-11625640463886.html
Author info:
Agrima Bhatt is an undergraduate student studying BSc. Biotechnology in Jaipur, Rajasthan. She is a science and research enthusiast who also loves to write articles and short snippets.
Some of her published articles at BioXone are:
- https://bioxone.in/news/worldnews/molecular-mechanisms-underlying-virescent-mutation-in-cotton/
- https://bioxone.in/news/worldnews/multi-angle-projection-microscope-a-novel-imaging-technique/
- https://bioxone.in/news/worldnews/scientists-develop-novel-cholera-vaccine-from-rice-grains/
- https://bioxone.in/news/worldnews/ai-predicts-the-relation-between-viruses-and-mammals/
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