In the first of an ongoing series of “Expert Perspectives” with members of inDemic Foundation’s scientific advisory board, we discuss data from EMPACTA, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of Roche’s Actemra (tocilizumab) in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 pneumonia (NCT04372186). Actemra is one of several IL-6 inhibitors that’s been evaluated for patients with COVID-19.  At the time of this writing, data from EMPACTA has not been published in a peer-reviewed journal, but some of its key findings have been released by Roche/Genentech.  

This Q&A is with Bob Dickson, MD, associate professor of pulmonary and critical care medicine at University of Michigan, and Hrishikesh Kulkarni, MD, MSCI, assistant professor of pulmonary and critical care medicine at Washington University in St. Louis.