Abstract
Tocilizumab (TCZ) is a monoclonal antibody targeting the receptor for interleukin-6 (IL-6) approved in the therapy of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). IL-6 plays an important role in pathogenesis of RA and participates in a number of proinflammatory cascades leading to chronic autoimmune inflammatory response and structural joint damage in the final stage.
TCZ can be applied in two differnet forms with comparable efficacy and safety - intravenous and subcutaneous. The antibody appears to be a good therapeutic choice in pateints with failure of not only disease-dmodifying antirheumatic drugs but also of biological therapy. this paper provides an overview od efficacy and safety of TCZ in various groups of patients with RA after the failure of previsou treatment with biologics.