<p>Roche's Actermra/Roactemra drugs reduces the likelihood patients with Covid-19 related pneumonia need mechanical ventilation, the company said on Friday.</p>.<p>Hospital patients taking the drug were 44% less likely to need ventilators or die, the company said, citing the results of its Empacta phase III study conducted in several countries including the United States.</p>.<p>Roche said it would share the results of its trial with health authorities, including the US Food and Drug Administration.</p>.<p>The news is a boost for Roche after an attempt to retool the rheumatoid arthritis drug Actemra/RoActemra to treat patients hospitalised with severe Covid-19 related pneumonia failed in a late-stage trial.</p>.<p>Its Covacta trial did not meet its primary end-point of improved clinical status in patients with Covid-19 associated pneumonia, or the key secondary end-point of reduced patient mortality, the company said in July.</p>.<p>"The EMPACTA trial demonstrated that Actemra/RoActemra can reduce the need for mechanical ventilation in patients with Covid-19 associated pneumonia, an important outcome in this serious disease," said Levi Garraway, Roche's chief medical officer and head of global product development.</p>.<p>The study is the first global phase III Covid-19 clinical trial using patients from minority racial and ethnic groups, Roche said, adding this group are often underrepresented in clinical studies and have been disproportionately affected by the ovid-19 pandemic.</p>.<p>The majority were Hispanic, along with significant representation from black and native American populations, the company said.</p>
<p>Roche's Actermra/Roactemra drugs reduces the likelihood patients with Covid-19 related pneumonia need mechanical ventilation, the company said on Friday.</p>.<p>Hospital patients taking the drug were 44% less likely to need ventilators or die, the company said, citing the results of its Empacta phase III study conducted in several countries including the United States.</p>.<p>Roche said it would share the results of its trial with health authorities, including the US Food and Drug Administration.</p>.<p>The news is a boost for Roche after an attempt to retool the rheumatoid arthritis drug Actemra/RoActemra to treat patients hospitalised with severe Covid-19 related pneumonia failed in a late-stage trial.</p>.<p>Its Covacta trial did not meet its primary end-point of improved clinical status in patients with Covid-19 associated pneumonia, or the key secondary end-point of reduced patient mortality, the company said in July.</p>.<p>"The EMPACTA trial demonstrated that Actemra/RoActemra can reduce the need for mechanical ventilation in patients with Covid-19 associated pneumonia, an important outcome in this serious disease," said Levi Garraway, Roche's chief medical officer and head of global product development.</p>.<p>The study is the first global phase III Covid-19 clinical trial using patients from minority racial and ethnic groups, Roche said, adding this group are often underrepresented in clinical studies and have been disproportionately affected by the ovid-19 pandemic.</p>.<p>The majority were Hispanic, along with significant representation from black and native American populations, the company said.</p>