About two years treatment with the immunosuppressant tacrolimus safely and effectively eases symptoms in children and adolescents with myasthenia gravis (MG) while cutting down the need for oral prednisone, according to a small study in China. Corticosteroids like prednisone, often used when other medications fail to control…
People tend to take certain abilities for granted, refusing help even if the need arises. Call it pride, embarrassment, stubbornness, or denial, but the result is the same: Some tasks may not get done if the person doesn’t request assistance. That includes activities of personal hygiene, such as bathing…
A treatment based on GRO Biosciences‘ ProGly program — which uses specially designed proteins to regulate the immune system — substantially reduced disease activity in an animal model of myasthenia gravis (MG), according to new data presented by the company. “We are greatly encouraged by the results of…
UCB’s zilucoplan and Rystiggo (rozanolixizumab) both were approved in Japan to treat adults with generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) who lack an adequate response to steroids or other immunosuppressive treatments. “With the approval in Japan of zilucoplan and [Rystiggo], we are very proud and excited to expand our…
Do you ever just sit there, staring into space, wondering which diagnosis you can attribute your latest symptom to? Maybe you don’t even bring up new issues with your doctor, simply chalking them up to whatever health condition you know you have. I’m guilty of doing both. As a former…
In his book “Change or Die: The Three Keys to Change at Work and in Life,” Alan Deutschman presents his belief that humans are resistant to change. According to Deutschman, even when we know that our behavior will lead to death, change is so difficult that most of us…
Health Canada has approved Vyvgart (efgartigimod alfa-fcab) to treat adults with generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) who are positive for antibodies targeting the acetylcholine receptor (AChR), the most common target of MG-causing antibodies. The approval is based on positive data from the Phase 3 ADAPT clinical trial (NCT03669588),…
A more severe disease course was seen among pediatric myasthenia gravis (MG) patients with antibodies against acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) who also have antibodies against ryanodine receptors (RyR) and the titin protein, according to a new study. These children had a higher likelihood of having generalized MG (gMG) and…
On many weekends when I was a kid, my parents would take the family to the Boston Public Garden. We loved the iconic “Make Way for Ducklings” statues, inspired by the children’s book of the same name. During good weather, the gardens would fill with color, and no child could…
A 44-year-old woman positive for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) developed myasthenia gravis (MG) after receiving treatment with antiretroviral agents. While no clear guidelines exist for treating MG in HIV-infected patients, researchers noted the woman was successfully treated with prednisone, azathioprine, and plasma exchange. According to them, this approach…
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