Rheumatologists are being asked to prescribe tocilizumab solely for patients who have no other therapeutic options, in a bid to save dwindling supplies for treatment of severe COVID-19.

The manufacturer, Roche, has warned the TGA that supplies of IV formulations of tocilizumab (Actemra) are likely to remain scarce until January 2022 because of global demand in response to the pandemic.

In addition, supplies of the two subcutaneous presentations of the drug — a pre-filled syringe and a pre-filled pen autoinjector — are expected to be unavailable for a six-week period, the regulator says.

Rheumatologists are at the forefront of the effort to preserve supplies of the monoclonal antibody, which is also being used off-label in Australia to treat patients hospitalised with severe COVID-19, in line with advice from the WHO.