News Archive

Vyvgart found effective for 3 triple-seronegative gMG patients (myasthenia gravis news)

Understanding the Therapeutic Potential of Nipocalimab (Neurology Live)

Clinical Outcomes of Rituximab Infusion Among Refractory Myasthenia Gravis Patients... (Cureus)

Global Myasthenia Gravis Treatment Market Size To Exceed USD 3.42 Billion by 2035 (sphericalinsights) 

Efficacy of zilucoplan in patients with generalised myasthenia gravis who have not previously received immunoglobulin or plasma exchange... (Science Direct)

The potential of ClC-1 ion channel inhibition to improve disease symptoms and progression in MuSK myasthenia gravis (Biospace)

Dianthus Therapeutics Completes Enrollment of Phase 2 MaGic Trial of DNTH103 in Generalized Myasthenia Gravis With Top-Line Results Expected in September (Global Newswire)  "DNTH103 is an investigational, clinical-stage, potent monoclonal antibody engineered to selectively target the classical pathway by inhibiting only the active form of the C1s protein..."

🔥 🔥 🔥 BREAKING 🔥 🔥 🔥

FDA Approves FcRn Blocker Nipocalimab for Broad Forms of Generalized Myasthenia Gravis (Neurology Live)

From the article: "Key Takeaways:

• Nipocalimab, an FcRn blocker, is approved for gMG in patients 12+ with anti-AChR or anti-MuSK antibodies.

• The VIVACITY-MG3 study showed significant improvements in MG-ADL and QMG scores with nipocalimab.

• Nipocalimab is the second FcRn blocker for gMG, following rozanolixizumab, and offers broad patient applicability.

• IMAAVY withMe program supports patient access, aiming for minimal cost per infusion.

• Common adverse events include respiratory infections, peripheral edema, and muscle spasms.

Mortality Risk in Patients with Myasthenia Gravis (Frontiers in Neurology) "...our study suggests, by using reliable disease age- and sex-matched control groups, higher mortality in MG patients compared to disease controls, especially in the first 5 years of the disease... Our data also showed that mortality has not significantly changed since the beginning of the century, despite treatment progress, and the COVID pandemic...."

🔥🔥 Real-World Data Reveal Concern of Infections in Efgartigimod for Myasthenia Gravis (Neurology Live) This is important information for anyone taking Vyvgart/V. Hytrulo or considering it.

From the article:

"Key Takeaways:

• Efgartigimod treatment in myasthenia gravis patients showed a higher infection rate compared to immunoglobulins, with 37% of reports involving infections.

• Serious infections and hospitalizations were more likely with efgartigimod than with immunoglobulins, highlighting a significant safety concern.

• Efgartigimod has received multiple FDA approvals since 2021, expanding its use to conditions like primary immune thrombocytopenia and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy.

• Clinical trials reported a high incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events, but no fatal outcomes were directly attributed to efgartigimod."

Longitudinal Improvement in Respiratory Function Following Plasma Exchange in Patients with Severe Myasthenia Gravis (PubMed)

How accurate are the cell assay tests for anti‐AChR/MuSK when trying to diagnose MG? You might be surprised. (ResearchGate)

BIODIGIT MD

Product website: BioDigit MG Solution by BioSensics

Article about this new MG monitor: MDA 2025: Digital monitoring tool for myasthenia gravis found feasible (Myasthenia Gravis News)

Who Will Volunteer for Clinical Trials Now? (MedPage Today) Important information for MG patients

Amgen’s Uplizna Deepens Response Against Myasthenia Gravis at 1 Year (BioSpace)

Navigating myasthenia gravis with mindfulness and hope (Myasthenia Gravis News) Moving video of Cindy Streltzov who shares the practices that bring her balance amid MG’s unpredictability.

Nipocalimab granted U.S. FDA Priority Review for the treatment of generalized myasthenia gravis (J&J.com) "Results demonstrate sustained disease control over 24 weeks in a broad population of antibody positive adult patients: anti-AChR, anti-MuSK, anti-LRP4"

Potential Myasthenia Gravis Treatment Receives FDA Priority Review (Practical Neurology)

Durable reductions in MG severity seen with Descartes-08 cell therapy (Myasthenia Gravis News)

Concomitant Corticosteroid Use Decreased in Myasthenia Gravis Through Ravulizumab (NeurologyLive) 

Ultomiris, over months, helped majority of patients in Phase 3 trial (Myasthenia Gravis News)

Evaluate the Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacodynamics and Efficacy of CNP-106 in Subjects With Myasthenia Gravis (NIH) This new clinical trial by COUR Pharmaceuticals will attempt to reprogram the immune system to eliminate Myasthenia Gravis symptoms. Here you can find just about all the information you need, including Study Overview, Participation Criteria, Study Locations (including contact information), and the Study Plan. Of the 13 trial sites, there currently are two locations in Southern California that are actively recruiting study participants.

🔥🔥The intricate dance of non-coding RNAs in myasthenia gravis pathogenesis and treatment (NIH) An extensive review of the direction and future of MG research. Key takeaways: "...This comprehensive review consolidates the landscape of dysregulated ncRNAs in MG, briefly delineating their pivotal role in MG pathogenesis. Furthermore, it explores their promise as prospective biomarkers, aiding in the elucidation of disease subtypes, assessment of disease severity, monitoring therapeutic responses, and as novel therapeutic targets." ALSO: "...It follows that ncRNAs may not only influence the production of specific antibodies, but also take part in the stabilization of postsynaptic membrane, the regulation of complement, and the regeneration of muscle."

Say Goodbye to CPAP Machines: Epilepsy Drug Shows Promise for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (SciTechDaily) CPAP is a common therapy used by many MGers

🔥🔥The new Covid vaccine will be released immediately after Labor Day. This is important news for all of us on various immunosuppressive meds (e.g., Prednisone, etc.) if not all the rest of us. Considering we're in the middle of a Covid surge, it's even more important now

Vitamin C is a very important component for our immune system, especially in MG. This Disease Is Wreaking Havoc on Citrus Fruit – And It's Spreading Worldwide.

Scientists ID potential biomarkers to help in MG diagnosis (Myasthenia Gravis News) "Set of inflammatory molecules also could prove useful for classifying MG"

  Analysis Supports Use of Newer PRO Scale in Myasthenia Gravis Trials (AJMC) "MG Symptoms PRO scales is a viable measurement of core symptoms of the disease among patients receiving treatments in clinical trials." “The reliability of the new ocular muscle weakness and respiratory muscle weakness scores, which included additional items compared to the versions previously reported, were improved, confirming the appropriateness of adding these items to create better measures.”

IL-41 may be potential biomarker as levels correlate with MG severity (Myasthenia Gravis News)

OMGMed: Advanced System for Ocular Myasthenia Gravis Diagnosis via Eye Image Segmentation (B) A potentially new computerized system to automate the diagnosis of Ocular Myastheia Gravis

Sugar substitute xylitol linked to higher risk of heart attack, stroke (Medical News Today) This breaking news is important for everyone, not just MGers.

More unofficial reports of shortages of Mestinon 180 SR (aka pyridostigmine 180 SR). (See my post in Announcements Archive.)

KEY MECHANISM UNCOVERED IN GUT BACTERIA COULD HELP SOLVE CONSTIPATION (Inverse) Help that we could all use.

MG treatment side effects common, especially in women (Myasthenia Gravis News) This article summarizes the results of a survey comparing the frequency of side effects of three steroid-sparing agents used to treat MG: mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept), methotrexate (Trexall, among others), and azathioprine (Imuran, among others). If you and your doctor are considering one of these for your MG therapy, and maybe for replacing prednisone, then these results might help you in your decision-making process. The survey results are detailed in this journal article (Neuromuscular Disorders).

Acid from gut bacteria may become potential treatments for MG: Study (Myasthenia Gravis News) Is this (butyric acid) a new treatment for reducing MG symptoms? Does this possibly explain how good nutrition can reduce MG symptoms? Maybe!

Functional Signature of LRP4 Antibodies in Myasthenia Gravis (Neuroimmunology and Neuroinflammation)  From the article: "Although the clinical efficacy of complement inhibition is evident for AChR-Ab+ MG, its clinical benefit in in LRP4-Ab+ or LRP4-Ab+/AChR-Ab+ remains to be demonstrated. If it is not, then biologics targeting features of Ab pathogenicity other than complement activation could be more effective to improve clinical outcomes for patients with LRP4-Ab+ MG."

Zilucoplan Shows Favorable Safety, Tolerability, and Efficacy in MG Trial Extension (Rare Disease Advisor)

Azathioprine, MMF effective, but more studies needed: PROMISE-MG (Myasthenia Gravis News)

CDC: Latest COVID Vax Cuts Hospitalization Risk in Immunocompromised People (MedPage Today) "— But fewer than one in five of this vulnerable group have received the updated shot."

Expert consensus recommendations for improving and standardising the assessment of patients with generalised myasthenia gravis - Is it time to finally update the MG-ADL assessment? (I think so. For one thing, I think it needs to add "Fatigue Level" as a category.)

Pregnancy in myasthenia gravis: a retrospective analysis of maternal and neonatal outcome (NIH)

AI-based diagnostics ’holds promise’ in tracking symptoms for myasthenia gravis (Healio)

Assessing the comparative efficacy of plasmapheresis and Intravenous immunoglobulin in myasthenia gravis treatment: A systematic review and meta-analysis (NIH/PubMed)

Californians: There's been a huge change to the Med-Cal program for older adults and people with disabilities. This change happened on January 1st, 2024.  Watch this video presentation to learn more about these changes and how to enroll in Medi-Cal.  The good stuff starts at 14:40.

Also, here's an L.A. Times article from February that dives into many of the Medi-Cal changes that might benefit you.

New cell therapy improves physical function in refractory MG (Myasthenia Gravis News)

Promising efficacy of Low-Dose rituximab in Muscle specific kinase antibody positive Myasthenia Gravis  (Science Direct)

Vyvgart has brought $1.2B to Argenx in gMG revenue in 2023 (Argenx)  NOTE: LINK BROKEN

Identifying patients at risk for myasthenic crisis (mc) with hemogram and inflammation-related laboratory parameters – a pilot study - " increased counts of basophils, neutrophils, leukocytes, and platelets may be associated with a higher risk of developing MC in patients with MG"  (Frontiers in Neurology)

High levels of immune protein linked to MG severity, relapse risk (Myasthenia Gravis News)

Nipocalimab eases disease severity in adults with gMG: Phase 3 trial (Myasthenia Gravis News)

IVMP and Tacrolimus Both Show Promise in Ocular MG (Rare Disease Advisor)

• "A highly mutated version of the COVID-19 virus called JN.1 is currently driving a surge of infections in the United States. The extremely transmissible variant now accounts for about 86 percent of COVID cases — a major jump from Thanksgiving, when fewer than 8 percent of infections were caused by JN.1."  Read the complete article HERE.

• The US is experiencing the second largest COVID-19 wave since the start of the pandemic.  It's not too late to get re-vaccinated.

• Descartes-08 shown to reduce gMG disease severity up to 1 year in trial (Myasthenia Gravis News)  Here is Cartesian Therapeutics' Press Release.

• Some possibly good news for MuSK-MG patients. Keep an eye on this evolving study.

• Vyvgart safe, effective in hard-to-treat gMG - more good news about Vyvgart (aka Efgartigimod)

• Kyverna to conduct Phase 2 trial of cell therapy KYV-101 in MG

• Cell therapy KYV-101 put on FDA fast track as MG treatment

• 2 types of anesthesia found safe, effective for surgery in MG according to research data just released.  For reference, here are the normal Types of Anesthesia Used During Surgery; also: The Side Effects and Complications of General Anesthesia.

Nipocalimab up for approval for gMG in the US (Myasthenia Gravis News) This new drug is in the same drug class (FcRn blockers) as MG drugs Vyvgart and Rystiggo. If approved by the FDA, it will cover a wider range of types of MG compared to the latter two.

First patient in the world treated for muscle-weakness disease in clinical trial at HonorHealth Research Institute (AAAS)  This international clinical trial (NTC06744920), will consider the safety and effectiveness of a drug called Remibrutinib.