Margarida Maia, PhD, science writer —

A new therapy that combines plasmapheresis, or plasma exchange, with the removal of certain immune cells from a person’s blood was seen to result in better outcomes among people with severe myasthenia gravis (MG) than were…

People with myasthenia gravis (MG) benefit from thymectomy — surgery to remove the thymus gland — regardless of whether they have early- or late-onset disease or a tumor in the thymus, a study from Germany has found. The study, “The impact of thymectomy in subgroups of Myasthenia…

Barriers posed by social determinants of health can lead to a complex set of challenges — most centered on financial worry and mental health — for people with generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG), according to a small study done in the U.S. Researchers found that these challenges had an impact…

Regulators in China approved Soliris (eculizumab) for adults with hard-to-treat (refractory) generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) who test positive for anti-acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibodies. With this approval, Soliris is now the first complement inhibitor available to treat gMG in the country, according to AstraZeneca, the company that…

The direct costs of myasthenia gravis (MG) are about four times higher than for the general population and even higher when disease symptoms worsen during an exacerbation, according to a study from Italy. The study, “Real world study on prevalence, treatment and economic burden of myasthenia gravis in…

The rate of death from myasthenia gravis (MG) generally increases with age, but it peaks among teenage boys and older adults — in both men and women — according to a study from China. Researchers also observed that the rate of death is showing an increasing trend over the…

People who develop myasthenia gravis (MG) with very late onset — when they’re age 65 or older — may have a poor prognosis, particularly if they haven’t been started on immunotherapy, a study in China has found. These findings shine a light on how important it is to understand…

Batoclimab (HBM9161) eased the symptoms of generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) and their impact on daily function, hitting the main and secondary goals of a Phase 3 clinical trial in China. No new side effects arose during the trial (NCT05039190) and the experimental therapy, which is being developed by…

The platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), which can be readily measured from a simple blood test, may help tell which people with myasthenia gravis (MG) will go on to develop respiratory failure, a study has found. High levels of systemic (whole-body) inflammatory markers or a diagnosis of generalized MG were…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted priority review to Argenx’s under-the-skin (subcutaneous) formulation of efgartigimod — the active ingredient in Vyvgart, the company’s approved treatment for generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG). If the subcutaneous formulation wins regulatory approval following that review, it would broaden the…