Olokizumab (OKZ) sold under the name Artlegia, is an immunosuppressive drug, used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and COVID-19. It is a humanized monoclonal antibody against the interleukin-6 (IL-6). IL-6 is a cytokine that plays an important role in immune response and is implicated in the pathogenesis of many diseases. Olokizumab is the first interleukin-6 (IL-6) inhibitor approved for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis which blocks directly cytokine instead of its receptor. Olokizumab specifically binds to IL-6 at Site 3, blocking IL-6 ability to form hexameric complex. Olokizumab was developed by R-Pharm group, and was launched in 2020. The drug is registered in Russia and Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and the Republic of Belarus. Included in the clinical guidelines “Rheumatoid Arthritis” and the list of Vital and Essential Drugs.
Olokizumab study results presented at a symposium in Kazakhstan
During the Asia-Pacific League of Associations of Rheumatology (APLAR 2024) symposium and the 7th Congress of Rheumatologists of Kazakhstan, experts presented the findings of clinical studies and discussed the practical application of olokizumab, an innovative drug developed by the R-Pharm group for treating rheumatoid arthritis.
Evgeny Nasonov presented a scientific report on the results of international clinical and post-marketing studies of olokizumab. Alexander Lila shared data from the CREDO 3 clinical program, showing the effectiveness of olokizumab. Alena Zagrebneva spoke about using olokizumab in clinical practice. Kira Ivanova emphasized the significance of effectively showcasing the research findings of olokizumab. Mikhail Samsonov emphasized the effectiveness of olokizumab in a large-scale study.
