Roche Pharma has observed an unprecedented demand for Tocilizumab (Actemra) given the significant increase in Covid cases across India in the last few weeks.

The company responding to this situation with supplies over this and the coming weeks to meet the immediate emergency demand.

"However, we are mindful that the current unprecedented demand may far exceed the supplies we can provide at this moment", as stated by the company

Roche is working urgently to increase manufacturing capacity and supply by ramping up  production network, as well as actively collaborating with external partners to maximize production of Actemra wherever possible with the goal of increasing its availability. This should enable to meet future demand in a fluid and hard to predict environment.

With the increasing number of infections in India, minimizing hospitalizations and easing pressure on healthcare systems is particularly important. This is where neutralizing antibody cocktails may play a role in the fight against COVID-19, in the treatment of high-risk patients before their condition worsens. 

Roche Pharma is working with local health authorities to accelerate an emergency use authorization (EUA) for its investigational antibody cocktail Casirivimab and Imdevimab in India (based on the data that have been filed for the EUA in the US and the CHMP scientific opinion in the EU).

An emergency use authorization in India would enable the import of globally manufactured product batches to India as soon as possible.