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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
A phase 3 trial finds inebilizumab significantly reduces disease flares in generalized myasthenia gravis. Only 16% of patients on the drug experienced an exacerbation by week 26, versus 35% on placebo — and far fewer needed rescue therapy. The findings, published in JAMA Neurology, add to growing evidence supporting the FDA-approved treatment.
A new prespecified analysis from a phase 3 international trial, published in JAMA Neurology, shows that inebilizumab (Uplizna, Amgen) significantly reduces the risk of disease exacerbations and the need for rescue therapy in patients with generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG). The drug works by targeting and depleting CD19+ B cells, which produce the rogue antibodies that disrupt neuromuscular function in gMG.
The trial enrolled 238 participants across 18 countries, covering both the AChR+ and MuSK+ subtypes of gMG. Notably, corticosteroid use was tapered during the trial — a move that could have increased flare risk — making the drug's protective effect even more meaningful.
By the numbers:
Why it matters: Myasthenia gravis flares are serious — they often lead to hospitalization and carry significant healthcare costs. These findings give clinicians concrete data to support using inebilizumab not just for symptom improvement, but for preventing the costly and debilitating crises that can derail patients' lives.
