Tocilizumab for the Treatment of Familial Mediterranean Fever

Inclusion Criteria: * Age ≥ 18 years and written informed consent * FMF according to the Tel Hashomer Criteria; with at least one heterozygous or homozygous mutation of the MEFV gene * Inadequate response or intolerance to colchicine (inadequate response/intolerance: disease activity despite colchicine with at least 2 x 0.5 mg/day or intolerance to colchicine) * Attack during the last 12 weeks, defined as episodes of fever and/or pericarditis and/or serositis and/or testis involvement and/or arthritis and/or erysipelas-like rash and * CRP \> 0.5 mg/dl and/or ESR \> 20mm/h and/or SAA \> 10mg/dl * PGA \>2 * Understand and voluntarily sign an informed consent document prior to any study related assessments/procedures. * Ability to adhere to the study visit schedule and other protocol requirements. * Females of childbearing potential (FCBP\*) must agree to utilize two reliable forms of contraception simultaneously from heterosexual contact for at least 28 days before starting study drug, while participating in the study (including dose interruptions), and for 6 months after study treatment discontinuation and must agree to regular pregnancy testing during this timeframe to abstain from breastfeeding during study participation and 6 months after study drug discontinuation. * Males must agree to use a latex condom during any sexual contact with FCBP while participating in the study and for 6 months following discontinuation from this study, even if he has undergone a successful vasectomy to refrain from donating semen or sperm while on Tocilizumab/Placebo and 6 months after discontinuation from this study treatment. * All subjects must agree to refrain from donating blood while on study drug and 6 months after discontinuation from this study treatment. * All subjects must agree not to share medication. A female of childbearing potential is a sexually mature woman who: 1) has not undergone a hysterectomy or bilateral oophorectomy; or 2) has not been naturally postmenopausal for at least 24 consecutive months (i.e., who has had menses at any time in the preceding 24 consecutive months). Exclusion Criteria: Subjects presenting with any of the following criteria will not be included in the trial: * Patient participating simultaneously in other clinical interventional trials * Major surgery within 8 weeks prior to screening or planned major surgery within 12 months after randomization * Transplanted organs (except corneal transplant performed more than 3 months prior to screening) Exclusions Related to Prior or Concomitant Therapy * Previous treatment with TCZ * Treatment with glucocorticosteroids \>10mg/day within 1 week; prednisolone ≤ 10mg/day can be given on a stable dose throughout the study * Analgesic medication, other than paracetamol or ibuprofen or diclofenac or colchicine, which can be used at a stable dose throughout the study and/or for treatment of FMF attacks to the maximum allowed daily dose (paracetamol: 4000mg/day, ibuprofene: maximum 2400mg/day, diclofenac maximum 150mg/day; colchicine 12mg/day) . * Treatment with any investigational agent within 12 weeks (or 5 half-lives of the investigational drug, whichever is longer) of screening * Treatment with Anakinra within the last 1 week prior to baseline (ptb), Canakinumab within the last 8 week prior to baseline * Treatment with etanercept within 2 weeks; certolizumab pegol, abatacept or adalimumab within 6 weeks; golimumab and infliximab within 8 weeks ptb * Rituximab within 24 weeks ptb * Leflunomide within 12 weeks ptb (washout possible), * azathioprine, cyclophosphamide within 12 weeks ptb * Immunization with a live/attenuated vaccine within ≤ 4 weeks ptb * Previous treatment with cell-depleting therapies, including investigational agents or approved therapies: anti-CD33, anti-CD52, anti-CD4, anti-CD5, anti- CD3 and anti-CD19 * Treatment with intravenous gamma globulin within 6 months of baseline * Treatment with plasmapheresis within 6 months of baseline * Any previous treatment with alkylating agents such as chlorambucil, or with total lymphoid irradiation Exclusions Related to General Safety * History of severe allergic or anaphylactic reactions to human, humanized, or murine antibodies * Evidence of serious uncontrolled concomitant cardiovascular, nervous system, pulmonary (including obstructive pulmonary disease), renal, hepatic, psychiatric or gastrointestinal (GI) disease * History of diverticulitis, diverticulosis requiring antibiotic treatment, or chronic ulcerative lower GI disease such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, or other symptomatic lower GI conditions that might predispose a patient to perforations * Known active current or history of recurrent bacterial, viral, fungal, mycobacterial, or other infections (including but not limited to tuberculosis (TB) and atypical mycobacterial disease, hepatitis B and C, and herpes zoster, but excluding fungal infections of the nail beds) * Any major episode of infection requiring hospitalization or treatment with IV antibiotics within 4 weeks of screening or oral antibiotics within 2 weeks of screening * Active TB requiring treatment within the previous 3 years; patients should be screened for latent TB and, if positive, treated according to local practice guidelines prior to initiating TCZ treatment; patients treated for TB with no recurrence within 3 years and patients treated for latent TB within 3 years are eligible. * Primary or secondary immunodeficiency (history of or currently active) * Evidence of malignant disease or malignancies diagnosed within the previous 5 years (except basal and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin or carcinoma in situ of the cervix uteri that have been excised and cured) * FCBP who are not willing to use an effective method of contraception, such as condom, sterilization during the study and for a minimum of 6 months after study drug therapy and breast-feeding females * Pregnant women * Males of reproductive potential who are not willing to use an effective method of contraception, such as condom, sterilization, or true abstinence throughout study and for a minimum of 6 months after study drug therapy * History of alcohol, drug, or chemical abuse within 1 year prior to screening Laboratory Exclusions (at Screening) * Serum creatinine \>1.4 mg/dL in female patients and \>1.6 mg/dL (in male patients * ALT or AST \> 2 ×ULN * Total bilirubin \> 2 x ULN * Platelet count \< 100 × 109/L * Hemoglobin \< 8.5 g/dL * White blood cells \< 3.0 ×109/L * Absolute neutrophil count \< 2.0 × 109/L * Absolute lymphocyte count \< 0.5 × 109/L * Positive hepatitis B surface antigen, anti-HBc, HIV or hepatitis C antibody