ACTEMRA: Proven to work quickly and effectively
If you and your doctor are considering ACTEMRA ® (tocilizumab) to treat your RA you may be interested in finding out how ACTEMRA performed in clinical studies. Over 4000 patients took part in clinical studies of ACTEMRA. Here's what the studies showed:
ACTEMRA has been proven to work

for some people who had previously used anti-TNF treatments that did not work well such as
Enbrel® (etanercept)
Humira® (adalimumab) and
Remicade® (infliximab)
ACTEMRA can cause side effects
Common side effectes with ACTEMRA include upper respiratory tract infections (common cold, sinus infections), headache, and increased blood pressure (hypertension).
Please talk to your doctor about the side effects associated with ACTEMRA
ACTEMRA is proven to work quickly and effectively

In a 6-month study of patients taking ACTEMRA at the 8 mg/kg dose in combination with methotrexate:
- Half of patients experienced statistically significant improvements in the signs and symptoms of RA (also called an ACR20 response)
- Some patients saw improvements after just 2 treatments
30% of patients taking ACTEMRA at the 4 mg/kg dose in combination with methotrexate saw statistically significant improvements in the signs and symptoms of RA at 6 months.
ACTEMRA stops joint damage

In a 1-year study,
the progression of joint damage stopped
for most patients taking ACTEMRA at the 8 mg/kg dose in combination with methotrexate.
ACTEMRA can be taken alone
or in combination with methotrexate.
This means that if you are unable to take methotrexate, you can still treat your RA with ACTEMRA.
ACTEMRA may not be right for you. Before starting ACTEMRA, tell your healthcare provider if you:
- have an infection
- have liver problems
- have any stomach-area (abdominal) pain or been diagnosed with diverticulitis or ulcers in your stomach or intestines
- have had any reaction to ACTEMRA previously
- have or had a condition that affects your nervous system, such as multiple sclerosis
- have recently received or are scheduled to receive a vaccine. People who take ACTEMRA should not receive live vaccines. People taking ACTEMRA can receive non-live vaccines
- plan to have surgery or a medical procedure
- have any other medical conditions
- plan to become pregnant or are pregnant. It is not known if ACTEMRA will harm your unborn baby
See Important Side Effect Information 
This information does not take the place of talking to your healthcare provider about either your medical condition or your treatment with ACTEMRA. Talk with your healthcare provider if you have any questions about your treatment with ACTEMRA.
What is ACTEMRA?
ACTEMRA is a prescription medicine called an interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor Inhibitor. ACTEMRA is used to treat adults with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) after at least one other medicine called a Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) antagonist has been used and did not work well
IMPORTANT SIDE EFFECT INFORMATION
Some people have serious infections while taking ACTEMRA, including tuberculosis (TB), and infections caused by bacteria, fungi or viruses that can spread throughout the body. Some people have died from these infections.
Other serious side effects of ACTEMRA include tears (perforation) of the stomach and intestines, changes in blood test results (including low neutrophil count, low platelet count, increase in certain liver function tests and increase in blood cholesterol levels), hepatitis B infection becoming an active infection again and nervous system problems.
ACTEMRA affects the immune system and may increase your risk of certain cancers.
Serious allergic reactions, including death, can happen with ACTEMRA. These reactions may happen with any infusion of ACTEMRA, even if they did not occur with an earlier infusion. Patients must tell their doctor if they have had a previous reaction to ACTEMRA. Patients should not take ACTEMRA if they are allergic to it or any of its ingredients.
Common side effects with ACTEMRA in patients with RA include upper respiratory tract infections (common cold, sinus infections), headache and increased blood pressure (hypertension).
Patients must tell their healthcare provider if they plan to become pregnant or are
pregnant. It is not known if ACTEMRA will harm an unborn baby. Genentech has a registry
for pregnant women who take ACTEMRA. Patients who are pregnant or become pregnant while
taking ACTEMRA must contact the registry at 1-877- 311-8972 or
register online
at https://www.otispregnancy.org/
forms/otis_survey-f161
and talk to their healthcare provider.
Patients must call their healthcare provider for medical advice about any side effects. Patients or caregivers may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. Patients or caregivers may also report side effects to Genentech at 1-888-835-2555.
Please see full Prescribing Information, including Boxed Warning and Medication Guide, for additional important safety information.
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