Vera Bril, MD, Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto discusses rozanolixizumab’s treatment mechanism to treat myasthenia gravis.
Myasthenia gravis is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease characterized by weakness of the skeletal muscles. Common symptoms include weakness of the muscles that control the eye and eyelid, facial expressions, chewing, talking, and swallowing. The condition results from a defect in the transmission of nerve impulses to muscles. This is usually due to the presence of antibodies against the acetylcholine receptor. There is no cure for myasthenia gravis at this time, but treatment can significantly improve muscle weakness.
Rozanolixizumab is a humanized IgG4 monoclonal antibody that binds to the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRN). This results in the reduction of circulating IgG. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved the drug to treat adults for both anti-AChR and anti-MuSK antibody-positive generalized myasthenia gravis. The FDA approval was largely based on data from the Phase 3 MycarinG study that was recently published in Lancet Neurology.
As noted by Dr. Bril, inhibiting the FcRN can reduce IgG, thereby alleviating the blockage of receptors at the neuromuscular junction.
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