News

Comirnaty mRNA Vaccine Safe in MG, Study Concludes

The Comirnaty mRNA COVID-19 vaccine was safe and well tolerated in people with myasthenia gravis (MG), a study confirmed. Worsening of MG symptoms after the third vaccine dose occurred in eight of the 113 study participants (7.1%) who were all successfully treated with standard immunoglobulins (IVIG). While…

Top 10 Myasthenia Gravis Stories of 2022

Myasthenia Gravis News has brought you up-to-date coverage of the latest scientific research and developments in treatment related to myasthenia gravis (MG) throughout 2022. We look forward to continuing to serve as a resource for patients and their families, caregivers, clinicians and physicians, researchers, advocates, industry leaders, scientists…

Muscle Biopsy Could Help Secure MG Diagnosis for Unclear Cases

Analyzing the motor end-plate (MEP) — the specialized muscle region that communicates with a nerve cell — using a muscle biopsy could help diagnose patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) who test negative for common disease-associated antibodies, a small study suggests. Among patients with MG-like symptoms who were negative on…

Thymoma-associated MG Immune Cell Growth Tied to Parvovirus B19

An infection with parvovirus B19 may contribute to abnormal immune cell growth in people who have a thymoma, or thymus tumor, associated with myasthenia gravis (MG), a new study reports. “This study shows that B19V infection may cause B-cell proliferation and formation of ectopic GCs [germinal centers], subsequently leading…

CD59 Protein Might Protect Against Immune System’s Action in MG

A protein called CD59 might protect the neuromuscular junction — the place where nerve cells come into contact and communicate with muscle cells — from the harmful action of the body’s immune system in myasthenia gravis (MG) patients, a study in Japan suggests. “CD59 overexpression might be required for…

Thymectomy Raises Autoimmune Risk in Some MG Patients

The risk of developing another autoimmune disease, especially rheumatoid arthritis, increased in people with myasthenia gravis (MG) after surgery to remove a thymoma, or a tumor of the thymus gland, according to a recent Chinese study. Women and younger patients were at particularly higher risk. The study, “…

Many gMG Patients in US Show ‘Chronic’ Reliance on IVIG Therapy

Over 40% of adults with generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) in the U.S. who began off-label treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) became frequent users, with six or more courses in the first year, according to real-world data covering 1,225 patients. Use of standard treatments, namely corticosteroids and nonsteroidal immunosuppressives,…