Efgartigimod works faster than the current standard therapy in helping patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) recover from an impending myasthenic crisis, according to a recent study published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology.
An impending myasthenic crisis describes when people with MG suddenly get much weaker and are at high risk of a full myasthenic crisis, a life-threatening complication in which respiratory muscles become too weak to breathe.
Right now, doctors usually use intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) and plasma exchange to treat impending myasthenic crisis. These treatments help, but they may take a few days to start working and their effects do not last very long. IVIg can sometimes cause blood clots or kidney problems, while plasma exchange can lead to infections or blood pressure problems. Because of this, doctors are looking for safer and faster treatments.
The study involved 38 patients with impending myasthenic crisis. Some patients received efgartigimod, while others received IVIg. About 90% of patients in the efgartigimod group and 94% in the IVIg group improved.
However, patients who took efgartigimod got better faster, in about eight days, compared to 12 days for IVIg.
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In the study, only one patient in each group got worse and developed a full crisis. No serious side effects were reported.
Efgartigimod works by lowering harmful antibodies in the body. It has already shown good results in other studies of MG.
While more research is still needed, this study suggests that efgartigimod could be a fast and safe option to treat impending myasthenic crisis.
“For rapidly progressive IMC [impending myasthenic crisis]—such as post−infectious acute exacerbations—where prompt reduction of antibody burden is considered important to control disease progression, efgartigimod may offer an advantage in early antibody clearance and could potentially shorten the duration of mechanical ventilation and lower the risk of related complications,” the researchers said.
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