Posts by: Joana Carvalho, PhD

Joana Carvalho, PhD

Joana holds a BSc in Biology, a MSc in Evolutionary and Developmental Biology and a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal. Her work has been focused on the impact of non-canonical Wnt signaling in the collective behavior of endothelial cells — cells that made up the lining of blood vessels — found in the umbilical cord of newborns.

November 6, 2020November 6, 2020

Age at Disease Onset, Exercise Among Factors Seen to Affect Patients’ Life Quality

News

Quality of life tends to be poorer in people with myasthenia gravis (MG) who develop the disease later in life, have more severe symptoms and little physical activity, or are ... Read more

September 11, 2020September 11, 2020

Older MG Patients on IVIG May Have Higher Risk of Coronary Spastic Angina

News

Older patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) who receive treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) may be at a higher risk of developing coronary spastic angina, known as CSA, according to ... Read more

August 21, 2020August 21, 2020

Johnson & Johnson to Acquire Momenta and Rights to Nipocalimab

News

Johnson & Johnson will acquire Momenta Pharmaceuticals, which has been developing nipocalimab (M281) for the treatment of myasthenia gravis (MG). The process, which involves an all-cash deal totaling about ... Read more

August 4, 2020August 4, 2020

Protein May Be Biomarker to Help Identify Difficult-to-diagnose MG, Study Says

News

High levels of kappa free light chain — a protein that makes up a portion of immunoglobulins (antibodies) — in the bloodstream may indicate the presence of myasthenia gravis ... Read more

July 28, 2020August 28, 2020

Case Supports Soliris as Promising Treatment for Thymoma-associated MG

News

Soliris (eculizumab) may be a promising treatment option for patients with refractory myasthenia gravis (MG) associated with a tumor in the thymus gland, a case report suggests. The case ... Read more

June 30, 2020June 30, 2020

Immunovant Prepares to Launch Phase 3 Trial of IMVT-1401 in MG Patients

News

Immunovant is preparing to launch a Phase 3 trial of its investigational candidate IMVT-1401 in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG); it may lead to the treatment’s approval for this indication, ... Read more

June 23, 2020June 23, 2020

Mitochondria Defects in Immune Cells May Cause MG, Study Says

News

Defects in mitophagy — the process that degrades defective mitochondria, the cell compartments responsible for producing energy — in certain types of immune cells may cause myasthenia gravis (MG), ... Read more

June 19, 2020June 19, 2020

Rituximab More Beneficial if Given to gMG Patients Early, Study Finds

News

Rituximab seems to be more effective in newly-diagnosed patients with generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG), compared to people at more advanced stages of the disease, a study has found. Investigators ... Read more

April 21, 2020April 21, 2020

UCB Acquires Ra Pharma, Adds Zilucoplan to Its MG Pipeline

News

UCB has completed its acquisition of Ra Pharmaceuticals, priced at about $2.3 billion, meaning that zilucoplan — an investigational treatment for myasthenia gravis (MG) — is being added to ... Read more

January 21, 2020January 21, 2020

Scientists Create 3-D Model to Study Neuromuscular Disorders, Including Myasthenia Gravis

News

Scientists have created — in a lab dish — a three-dimensional model system made of human neurons and muscle cells that can be used to study neuromuscular disorders, including myasthenia ... Read more