Olokizumab is effective in COVID-19 - RUDN medic's study noted at the All-Russian congress

Coronavirus infection (COVID-19) remains an urgent medical and social problem, especially for patients with severe risk factors.

The risk group includes:

• Elderly people (over 60-65 years old).
• Patients with chronic diseases (arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease).
• Individuals with immunodeficiency conditions.

“Olokizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody directed against interleukin—6 (IL-6), a key pro-inflammatory cytokine that plays an important role in the development of the cytokine storm in COVID-19 and other inflammatory diseases. Unlike tocilizumab or sarilumab, olokizumab blocks the IL-6 cytokine itself, not its receptor. This may be an advantage when there is an excess of IL-6 in the blood. It has a prolonged effect due to its subcutaneous form and high affinity for IL-6,” Anna Abramova, Postgraduate, Department of General and Clinical Pharmacology, third year.

One of the key causes of the severe course of COVID-19 is the so-called "cytokine storm" — an excessive and destructive reaction of the immune system. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), which triggers the inflammatory cascade, plays an important role in its development. That is why IL-6 is considered as a promising target for anti-inflammatory therapy.

“A retrospective cohort study evaluated the effectiveness of the preventive use of the IL-6 inhibitor olokizumab in hospitalized patients with moderate COVID-19. The study included 996 patients treated with olokizumab and 1,265 patients in the control group. According to WHO data (2025), more than 66,000 new cases of COVID-19 were registered in January, of which 3,620 were fatal. The greatest risk of complications remains in elderly patients and people with chronic diseases,” Anna Abramova, Postgraduate, Department of General and Clinical Pharmacology, third year.

The results showed that the use of olokizumab:

• Reduced the level of inflammatory markers (CRP).
• Promoted faster normalization of temperature
• Associated with a significant reduction in mortality (3% vs. 12.3%, *p* = 0.000).

The findings support the prophylactic potential of olokizumab in COVID-19.

Study results:

• Mortality in the olokizumab group decreased 4-fold (3% vs. 12.3%);
• Faster reduction of inflammation - on day 7 of therapy, body temperature was significantly lower in patients receiving olokizumab;
• Reduced duration of ventilator (9 ± 5.1 days vs. 10.4 ± 5.83); - Reduced rate of transfer to the intensive care unit (8% vs. 14.4%, *p* = 0.000).
• The level of C-reactive protein at discharge was significantly lower in the main group;
• Taking into account the heterogeneity of concomitant pathologies, the results emphasize the importance of early prescription of olokizumab in patients from risk groups.

Scientific supervisor: Sergey Zyryanov, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Department of General and Clinical Pharmacology, RUDN.