Medication Information Leaflet
Tocilizumab is an Interleukin-6 inhibitor (IL-6i). IL-6i belongs to a class of medication called biologics or more specifically, biological disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARDs).
Biologics are small molecules that work by blocking certain parts of the immune system that cause inflammation in the body.
IL-6i targets and blocks natural substances called cytokines which causes inflammation in the body. This improves symptoms, reduces flares, slows disease progression and improves quality of life.
It may be used alone or together with other DMARDs.
If you forget to inject a dose, do it as soon as you remember. Then inject your next dose at the usual time. Do not take two doses to make up for the missed dose.
If you miss your infusion appointment, book another appointment as soon as possible. Inform your doctor about the missed/ late dose.
Inform your healthcare professional if:
Avoid overcrowded places and stay away from people who are sick to prevent getting an infection.
Reactivation of infections such as tuberculosis (TB) and hepatitis B may happen when you are on this medication, hence, your doctor will check for such infections before starting Tocilizumab.
It is important to monitor the effects of your new treatment, particularly during the first few months of treatment. For your safety, you need to do regular blood tests for monitoring by your doctor.
The symptoms of a drug allergy include one or more of the following:
Some rare but serious side effects include:
If you experience any of these symptoms, you should stop your medication and see your healthcare professional immediately.
Avoid eating raw, undercooked or half-cooked food.
Tocilizumab may interact with other medicines or supplements that you are taking. These include:
Inform the doctor, pharmacist or specialty nurse before starting on a new medicine or supplement.
Pneumococcal, influenza (flu) and Hepatitis B vaccinations are safe and may be given if required. Avoid live vaccines such as MMR (measles, mumps and rubella), OPV (oral polio vaccine), yellow fever or BCG (tuberculosis). Discuss with your doctor before receiving any vaccines. Also, direct contact with persons who have taken oral polio vaccine or those with infections should be avoided.
Store in the refrigerator between 2-8◦C and protected from light. Do not freeze. Keep this medication away from children.
Pack this medication into a black trash bag and seal it tightly before throwing it into the rubbish chute or bin. Dispose needles in a sharp box or tightly closed container to avoid needle prick injury.
Please take note that the above is not a complete list of all possible side effects. If you have any concerns about your medication or if you have other side effects that you think are caused by this medication, please consult your doctor or pharmacist.
If you take more than the recommended dose, please seek medical advice immediately. The information provided on this page does not replace information from your healthcare professional. Please consult your healthcare professional for more information.
This article is jointly developed by members of the National Medication Information workgroup. The workgroup consists of cluster partners (National Healthcare Group, National University Health System and SingHealth), community pharmacies (Guardian, Unity and Watsons) and Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore. The content does not reflect drug availability and supply information in pharmacies and healthcare institutions. You are advised to check with the respective institutions for such information.
Last updated on Oct 2022
This article was last reviewed on Tuesday, December 20, 2022