Scottish Medicines Consortium approves Roche's subcutaneous RoActemra for NHS use

The Scottish Medicines Consortium has approved the prescribing on the National Health Service of Swiss drug major Roche’s (SIX: ROG) subcutaneous RoActemra (tocilizumab) for use in Scotland in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

The company sees this approval as particularly important for those in Scotland who live in rural and remote locations, far from hospitals, since subcutaneous RoActemra can be administered at hospital or home, unlike its intravenous formulation.

It is the first anti interleukin (IL)-6 receptor inhibitor for use with and without methotrexate, which provides a new option for patients who cannot or will not continue with methotrexate, which causes incomplete responses and/or adverse events in 20%-40% of patients. RoActemra/Actemra generated sales of 568 million Swiss francs ($628 million) in the first half of 2014.