Open Access

REVIEW

Therapeutic targeting of interleukin-6 for the treatment of COVID-19

Yao Wang¹, Chen Liu², Xiaolong Miao², Deqiang Kong², Yingli Zhao³, Weihua Gong², Xianfeng Ding¹

1 College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, Zhejiang, China
2 Department of Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
3 Department of Infectious Diseases, Second Affiliated Hospital of School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China

* Corresponding Authors: Xianfeng Ding, ; Weihua Gong,

European Cytokine Network 2020, 31(3), 75-80. https://doi.org/10.1684/ecn.2020.0453

Accepted 26 June 2020; Issue published 12 February 2026

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19), caused by infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was first identified in China and has spread worldwide with a significant rate of infection. Considering the elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines in COVID-19, it is suggested that cytokine storms play a critical role in its pathogenesis, including acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). However, there is no specific drug for preventing the cytokine release syndrome (CRS) caused by COVID-19. Indeed, interleukin 6 (IL-6) has been highlighted for its many biological functions, such as immune regulation, inflammatory response, and metabolism. Therapeutic blockade of the IL-6 signaling pathway is expected to reduce the excessive immune reponse observed in COVID-19. Currently, the IL-6 receptor antagonists tocilizumab and sarilumab, have been adopted for preventing CRS during the progression of COVID-19, and remarkable beneficial effects were observed by using these humanized monoclonal antibodies. Based on the pathogenesis of COVID-19, we reviewed the biological mechanism of IL-6 blockade in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection and evaluated its clinical applications.

---

Keywords

---