Second Biosimilar Tocilizumab Injection approved for marketing

Recently, the Tocilizumab Injection (Chinese trade name: 安维泰) of Livzon Pharmaceutical Group Inc. is approved for marketing by China NMPA. This drug is the second Tocilizumab Injection biosimilar approved in China, which is indicated for rheumatoid arthritis.

Tocilizumab is a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody against the human interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor that specifically binds to soluble and membrane-bound IL-6 receptors and inhibits signal transduction mediated by IL-6 receptors. At present, the Tocilizumab Injection has been included in the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for COVID-19 Infection (Tentative 10th Edition) and Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for Severe Cases of Covid-19 Infection (Tentative 4th Edition), which can be used for severe cases with significantly elevated IL-6 levels detected by laboratory.