Amelioration of COVID‐19 related cytokine storm syndrome: Parallels to chimeric antigen receptor‐T cell cytokine release syndrome

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) severity appears to parallel the host immune response, with a subset of patients developing COVID-19 cytokine storm syndrome (CSS).(1) Serum inflammatory cytokines are elevated in COVID-19,(2-5) and interleukin (IL)-6 appears to play a central role in COVID-19 related CSS.(6-8) Based on the success of IL-6 receptor blockade for chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy associated cytokine release syndrome (CAR T-cell CRS), similar strategies using tocilizumab are being investigated in COVID-19.