Tocilizumab

**Semantic type:** Amino Acid, Peptide, or Protein|Immunologic Factor|Pharmacologic Substance

**Definition:** A recombinant, humanized IgG1 monoclonal antibody directed against the interleukin-6 receptor (IL-6R) with immunosuppressant activity. Tocilizumab targets and binds to both the soluble form of IL-6R (sIL-6R) and the membrane-bound form (mIL-6R), thereby blocking the binding of IL-6 to its receptor. This prevents IL-6-mediated signaling. IL-6, a pro-inflammatory cytokine that plays an important role in the regulation of the immune response, is overproduced in autoimmune disorders, certain types of cancers and possibly various other inflammatory conditions.

**Synonyms:** - Actemra - IL-6 receptor monoclonal antibodies: tocilizumab - Immunoglobulin G1, Anti-(Human Interleukin 6 Receptor) (Human-Mouse Monoclonal MRA Heavy Chain), Disulfide with Human-Mouse Monoclonal MRA Kappa-Chain, Dimer - MRA - R-1569 - RoActemra - TOCILIZUMAB