Positive Phase III results of giant cell arteritis study

Findings of a Phase III study which evaluated Actemra (tocilizumab)in people with giant cell arteritis (GCA), a form of vasculitis that can lead to blindness, have been released.

The study, presented by Genentech, a subsidiary of Swiss pharma giant Roche (ROG: SIX), met its primary and key secondary endpoint, demonstrating that Actemra – initially in combination with a six-month steroid (glucocorticoid) taper – enabled significantly more patients to achieve sustained disease remission while also significantly reducing steroid exposure compared with steroids alone.