Two Arthritis Drugs Show Different Benefits for Coronavirus

Conflicting trial results on Monday dealt a blow to the idea of using rheumatoid arthritis medicines for a broad group of coronavirus patients.

One clinical trial, from Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc., suggested that arthritis medicine Kevzara might help only people who were critically ill -- prompting the companies to push forward with a bigger study focused on the most dire cases. A smaller trial of a similar drug, Roche Holding AG’s Actemra, showed a potential benefit in a broader group, though the results haven’t been published in full.

The arthritis-drug effort is one of many programs to ...