Health research and innovation – EU funded clinical trial finds new treatments to be effective against COVID-19

An international team of researchers has confirmed that two immunosuppressant drugs – tocilizumab and sarilumab –normally used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, significantly reduce the time spent by COVID-19 patients in intensive care and reduce the risk of death by almost a quarter. These findings are the result of innovative trial designs set up with support from the EU and other research funders.