News · 22 May 2026
Bristol researchers find tocilizumab treats 54% severe depression.
Unsplash / National Cancer Institute
People with severe depression not responding to usual treatments might soon have a new option. University of Bristol researchers discovered tocilizumab, an existing anti-inflammatory arthritis drug, helped patients in a recent pilot trial. The study included 30 participants; 54% of those receiving the medication experienced remission from depression, in contrast to 31% in the placebo group.
Reported by Independent · How we write briefs