First ever treatment approved for rare autoimmune condition GCA

Swiss pharma giant Roche (ROG: SIX) has received US Food and Drug Administration approval for Actemra (tocilizumab), the first ever treatment for adult patients with the autoimmune condition giant cell arteritis (GCA).

This is the sixth FDA approval for Actemra, which is marketed as RoActemra in Europe, since the medicine was launched in 2010.

Chief medical officer Sandra Horning said: “Today’s FDA decision means people living with giant cell arteritis will, for the first time, have an FDA-approved treatment option for this debilitating disease.”