Yoshiyuki Ohsugi¹ and Tadamitsu Kishimoto²

¹Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Tokyo 103-8324, Japan. ²Laboratory of Immunoregulation, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.

Abstract

Evidence has accumulated indicating that proinflammatory cytokines play critical roles in the pathogenesis of RA. Recent clinical studies demonstrate that blockade of IL-6 signaling with tocilizumab, a recombinant humanized anti-interleukin-6 receptor antibody, is a new therapeutic option for the treatment of patients with RA refractory to conventional DMARD therapy and anti-TNF-α therapy. This paper discusses possible mechanisms of action, reviews the results of clinical trials, and discusses the place of tocilizumab in RA treatment.