On the 15th, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) approved the emergency use of Actemra (ingredient name: tocilizumab), an arthritis drug imported and distributed by JW Pharmaceutical, for use by patients 2 years of age or older with severe COVID-19. Actemra is a rheumatoid arthritis treatment developed by Genentech, a subsidiary of Roche, a multinational pharmaceutical company. This drug was initially approved as an arthritis treatment, but it has been shown to be effective in the treatment of severe corona patients, and has already been used as a corona treatment in the United States, Europe, and Japan. In Korea, it was prescribed as an off-label method for severe COVID-19 patients. Off-label means that it is prescribed under the responsibility of the doctor for use (arthritis treatment) other than that permitted. With this approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, JW Pharmaceutical expects to be able to import more imported quantities, which will alleviate concerns about supply shortages to a large extent. In general, approval from the licensing authority leads to an increase in the amount of imported drugs. A JW Pharmaceutical official said last month that there was concern about a shortage of domestic stock as Actemras health insurance coverage was expanded to prescriptions for COVID-19. He also said that he had less worries about treatment.
