Patricia Inacio, PhD,  science writer—

A small regulatory RNA, called microRNA-653, inhibited the proliferation of thymus cells, called thymocytes, in a mouse model of myasthenia gravis (MG), a study reports. Given that the thymus is often abnormally enlarged in MG patients, these results, although preliminary, suggest that microRNA-653 may be a potential therapeutic…

Among myasthenia gravis patients (MG), males and those with a higher body mass index are at a higher risk of obstructive sleep apnea, which is similar to what has been been reported in the general population, a study shows. The study, “Characteristics of obstructive sleep apnea in myasthenia…

Topline results from a Phase 2 trial of  Ra Pharma’s zilucoplan (previously known as RA101495), a potential self-administered therapy for patients with generalized myasthenia gravis (MG), showed a statistically significant decrease in markers of disease severity, achieving both its primary objectives. All the trial participants completed the 12-week treatment; 98 percent of…

The gut microbiome of people with myasthenia gravis is less diverse than that of healthy people, with a rise in pro-inflammatory bacteria and a reduction in protective molecules, a new study shows. The study, “Altered Gut Microbiota in Myasthenia Gravis,” was published in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology.

Use of rituximab can reverse myasthenia gravis-like symptoms in cancer patients being treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors like Opdivo or Yervoy, a case study reports. The study, “Rituximab as initial therapy for the reversal of myasthenia gravis neurotoxicity caused by ipilimumab/nivolumab” was published in the journal Neuro-Oncology and presented at the…

An interventional program composed of physical activity and psychological support may help improve fatigue levels in myasthenia gravis patients, a small pilot trial found. The results, however, were not sustained over time, and a bigger study is needed, researchers said. The study titled “A Physical and Psychological Approach to…

A small but significant percentage of myasthenia gravis (MG) patients remain resistant to current therapies, which severely impacts on their quality of life and requires greater attention and more aggressive treatments, according to a recent opinion piece from a neurologist. The article, “Refractory Myasthenia Gravis – Patient Burden…

Between 30 percent and 50 percent of all thymoma patients – people treated for a tumor in the thymus gland – go on to develop myasthenia gravis, and as a case study reports, this disease’s appearance can sometimes be associated with a return of the cancer. The study detailed an…

Careful patient assessment and planning prior to surgery was needed to successfully remove a tumor from the thymus of a myasthenia gravis patient with a recent history of adult respiratory distress syndrome, researchers in Greece reported. Their case study, “Thymectomy in a patient with thymoma -related myasthenia Gravis and recent…

Ra Pharma’s RA101495, a potential treatment for generalized myasthenia gravis patients, showed preliminary signs of halting red blood cell destruction in healthy volunteers, results of an early clinical trial show — justifying the Phase 2 trial in patients now underway. Data reporting on the Phase 1 trial results — showing that RA101495…