Tocilizumab, a human recombinant IL-6 monoclonal antibody approved by the FDA for severe life-threatening cytokines release syndrome and rheumatic diseases (Zhang et al., 2020), has been repurposed against SARS-CoV-2, to bind to membrane-bound and soluble IL-6 receptors, inhibiting both IL-6 signalling pathways related to cytokine storm induction (Saha et al., 2020) (Fig. 7). This evidence concerns the gene IL6 and rheumatic disorder.