Roche Holding AG's Actemra appears effective at treating rheumatoid arthritis, a disease that can destroy joints and causes chronic pain for patients, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday.

The drug appears effective for treating patients with moderate to severely active rheumatoid arthritis, but has been linked to serious infections, malignancies and other problems, according to documents posted on the FDA's Web site Friday.

A panel of outside medical experts will meet Tuesday to discuss whether the benefits of Actemra outweigh the risks, and whether the drug should be approved.