News

People with myasthenia gravis (MG), particularly those with late-onset and thymoma-associated MG — disease linked to a tumor in the thymus gland — have a higher risk of developing other types of cancer, according to an analysis of a Swedish national registry. The results also…

While progress was made last year on newborn screening and other policy issues critical to rare disease patients, a “State Report Card” argues that many concerns — notably out-of-pocket costs for prescription medicines and access to affordable comprehensive care — still need attention. Those were the findings of the…

In a $3.05 billion deal, Horizon Therapeutics will acquire Viela Bio, the developer of inebilizumab, a potential treatment for autoimmune diseases such as myasthenia gravis (MG), the two companies announced. Horizon plans to advance inebilizumab, already approved for treating another rare autoimmune disease, as a therapy for decreasing disease activity…

High levels of autoantibodies against acetylcholine receptors (AChR) in the blood of people with thymoma — a tumor of the thymus — can help to identify patients at risk of developing myasthenia gravis (MG) after tumor surgery, a study suggests. Larger tumors, and partial tumor resection might also increase this risk.

People with myasthenia gravis (MG) have a significantly higher risk of body-wide complications within three months of total hip or knee replacement surgery than patients without the rare disease, a study found. The analysis, “Increased rate…

The two COVID-19 vaccines that recently received emergency approval from the U.S. and other worldwide regulatory agencies are expected to pose little risk to the rare disease community, including to patients with compromised immune systems or those participating in gene therapy studies. That was the message of a recent…

The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD), a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting those with rare diseases, has launched new patient assistance programs for people with myasthenia gravis (MG) living in the U.S. The new assistance programs aim to help patients who have limited financial resources with…

Caring for a loved one with a rare disease, especially during these uncertain times, demands significant time, attention, patience, and dedication. To help meet that need, the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)’s Rare Caregiver Respite Program may be a helpful resource. The program seeks to give a well-deserved…

A highly sensitive blood test detected disease-causing antibodies in a case of myasthenia gravis (MG) believed to be induced by COVID-19. The case underscores the importance of such diagnostic tools to detect disease markers that may be missed by the current approach in diagnosing…

Lower frequency of a specific subset of immune cells in the bloodstream may help identify myasthenia gravis (MG) in cases difficult to diagnose, specifically those testing negative for MG autoantibodies, a study suggests. Published in the journal Muscle & Nerve, the study, “Reduced plasmablast frequency is associated with…