A new alternative therapy in dermatology: tocilizumab

Tocilizumab (TCZ) is a recombinant-humanized anti-human interleukin 6 receptor monoclonal antibody of the immunoglobulin (Ig) IgG1 subclass with a H2L2 polypeptide structure. Even if it was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis and polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis, satisfying results have also been reported with TCZ in various refractory dermatological diseases such as psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Behçet's disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis, relapsing polychondritis, vasculitis and atopic dermatitis. TCZ treatment in dermatology and adverse effects of the drug were reviewed here after the pharmacological properties, mechanism of action, dosage and administration of the drug were summarized. We estimate that by the help of newly well-designed studies with wider spectrum of subjects to comprehensively investigate the efficacy and safety will be able to contribute to the clinical management of the diseases especially refractory to the other treatments. Therefore, during the next decade, TCZ will be promising drugs in the treatment of refractory dermatological diseases.