WHO calls on Roche to ensure fair access to COVID-19 drug amid shortage

LONDON - The World Health Organization called on Wednesday on Roche to ensure fair distribution of its arthritis drug used to treat COVID-19 patients as supplies of the drug run low due to rising cases driven by the more infectious Delta variant.

In a statement on Monday Roche's U.S. unit Genentech warned of a global shortage of tocilizumab, sold by Roche as Actemra and RoActemra, which will last at least for the next few weeks. The latest wave of the pandemic has led to unprecedented demand, with orders well over 400% of pre-COVID levels over the last two weeks, it said.