Food and Drug Administration-approved agents: IL-6
| Agent | Mechanism of action | Commercial name | Manufacturer | Indication(s) | Comments |
|
Tocilizumab
Recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody (IgG1) | Binds to both soluble and membrane-bound IL-6 receptors, and inhibits IL-6-mediated signaling | Actemra® | Genentech | Rheumatoid arthritis, giant cell arteritis, polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis, systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis, cytokine release syndrome (Tcell induced) | Increases risk of serious infections |
|
Sarilumab
Human recombinant monoclonal antibody (IgG1) | Binds to both soluble and membrane-bound IL-6 receptors, and inhibits IL-6-mediated signaling | Kevzara® | Regeneron/Sanofi | Moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis adults who have inadequate response to disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs | Increases risk of serious infections |
|
Siltuximab
Glycosylated human-mouse chimeric monoclonal antibody (IgG1) | Binds to soluble IL-6 and prevents the binding to both soluble and membrane-bound IL-6 receptors | Sylvant™ | Janssen/EUSA Pharma UK | Multicentric Castleman’s disease | No binding to HHV-8 and HIV produced IL-6 in a preclinical study |
HHV-8, human herpesvirus-8; IL, interleukin.