Roche and Chugai's SC RoActemra improves RA long term

Swiss drug major Roche (ROG: SIX) and its majority-owned Japanese subsidiary Chugai Pharmaceutical (TYO: 4519) have announced that their RoActemra (tocilizumab) subcutaneous (SC) formulation shows comparable long-term efficacy and tolerability to the intravenous (IV) formulation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

The SUMMACTA study showed that use over 49 weeks of RoActemra has comparable efficacy to the IV version. The BREVACTA study also showed that it reduced progression of joint damage over 48 weeks. Both Phase III studies showed that RoActemra's adverse event profile was consistent with previous findings.

Gerd Burmester, investigator for the SUMMACTA study, said that the drug delivered meaningful improvements for people living with rheumatoid arthritis over the long-term, regardless of how it is delivered. He added: “The convenience of subcutaneous administration gives people with rheumatoid arthritis a time-saving treatment option of a self-administered injection, and may mean less time being treated and more time getting on with what matters to them.”