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COVID-19-Induced Actemra Shortage Causes Headaches For CAR-T Centers

Some Hematologists Report Having Problems Scheduling Cell Therapy

 
• By Alaric DeArment

While some cancer centers report sufficient stocks of the drug, they have already been turning to potential alternatives due to supply issues that could last for weeks or months.  

3D illustration of T cells attacking a cancer cell (CAR-T cell therapy) - Illustration
• Source: Shutterstock

As the recent COVID-19 surge has overfilled intensive care units and emergency rooms, it is also creating growing problems for cancer centers. The demand for Roche Holding AG’s Actemra (tocilizumab) to treat severely ill COVID-19 patients has caused a shortage of the drug, leaving less supply for patients receiving chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapies.

Roche’s Genentech division said 16 August that the large increase in hospitalizations for severe COVID-19 had caused a shortage of Actemra that the company expected would last “at least the next several weeks.” (Also see "Coronavirus Update: Pfizer/BioNTech Send In Data For Booster Approval" - Scrip, 17 August, 2021

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