NCT06860633

Brief Summary

This study plans to learn more about if the drug efgartigimod can be used in the hospital to treat exacerbations in participants with myasthenia gravis (MG). Efgartigimod has been approved by the FDA for ongoing (chronic) treatment of generalized MG in adult patients who are anti-acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibody positive but has not been studied in the treatment of worsening weakness requiring hospital admission (known as "exacerbation"). This investigation aims to see if using efgartigimod in this way improves symptoms and recovery from exacerbation, and how it affects certain MG markers in the blood. The main questions it aims to answer are:

  • Is efgartigimod effective as a hospital-administered acute therapy for participants with worsening MG (MG exacerbation) who require hospitalization?
  • Will efgartigimod lead to clinical improvement with a similar reduction in validated research scales, such as the Quantitative MG (QMG) scale, as standard of care therapies? Participants will receive 4 doses of efgartigimod over the course of 4 weeks with an additional follow-up visit at the clinic.

Trial Health

77
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
20

participants targeted

Target at below P25 for phase_4

Timeline
8mo left

Started Mar 2025

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
recruiting

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Progress64%
Mar 2025Dec 2026

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

February 28, 2025

Completed
6 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

March 6, 2025

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

March 6, 2025

Completed
1.8 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

December 31, 2026

Expected
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

December 31, 2026

Last Updated

July 11, 2025

Status Verified

July 1, 2025

Enrollment Period

1.8 years

First QC Date

February 28, 2025

Last Update Submit

July 10, 2025

Conditions

Keywords

myasthenia exacerbationefgartigimod

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Change from baseline in the Quantitative Myasthenia Gravis (QMG) score at day 11

    The Quantitative Myasthenia Gravis (QMG) is a scoring system that quantifies disease severity by measuring ocular, bulbar, respiratory and limb strength. The total scores range from 0 to 39, with higher scores indicating greater disease severity.

    Baseline, Day 11

Secondary Outcomes (19)

  • Percentage of participants requiring rescue therapy with Plasma Exchange (PLEX) or Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG)

    During hospitalization, approximately 7 days

  • Change from baseline in Myasthenia Gravis Activities of Daily Life (MG-ADL) scale at day 18

    Baseline, Day 18

  • Change from baseline in Myasthenia Gravis Activities of Daily Life (MG-ADL) scale at day 32

    Baseline, Day 32

  • Change from baseline in Myasthenia Gravis Manual Muscle Test (MG-MMT) at day 11

    Baseline, Day 11

  • Change from baseline in Myasthenia Gravis Manual Muscle Test (MG-MMT) at day 18

    Baseline, Day 18

  • +14 more secondary outcomes

Study Arms (1)

Efgartigimod

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants receive 4 doses of efgartigimod via intravenous (IV) infusion over the course of the study on days 1, 4, 11 and 18.

Drug: Efgartigimod

Interventions

Dose of 10 mg/kg for IV infusion on days 1, 4, 11 and 18

Also known as: Vyvgart
Efgartigimod

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Adults ≥ age 18 years with known generalized MG as identified by characteristic signs of generalized MG on clinical assessment and positive serology for AchR antibodies as well as one of the following:
  • Documented positive response to cholinesterase inhibitors such as pyridostigmine or edrophonium
  • Abnormal decrement on slow repetitive nerve stimulation testing
  • Abnormal single fiber EMG
  • Evidence of worsening weakness requiring hospital admission for stabilization and change in therapy as determined by a neuromuscular expert including:
  • Quantitative Myasthenia Gravis (QMG) scale ≥ 11
  • MG-ADL score ≥ 6
  • Worsening weakness that is unlikely to be ameliorated by adjustment of current medications including impaired respiratory status, dysarthria, dysphagia, difficulty chewing, limb weakness, diplopia, ptosis.
  • Ability to sign consent and be enrolled within 24 hours of hospital admission. For participants transferred to University of Colorado Hospital, the time of admission/presentation to the outside hospital is counted towards this 24-hour cap.

You may not qualify if:

  • MG worsening thought to be related to active infection or due to medications (e.g. fluoroquinolone or aminoglycoside antibiotics, magnesium, chloroquine derivatives)
  • Intubation prior to ability to sign informed consent or intubation within 24 hours of hospitalization
  • Use of IVIG within 2 weeks, or having undergone plasma exchange or received efgartigimod in the 4 weeks prior to admission
  • Current ongoing use of ravulizumab or eculizumab (monoclonal antibody C5-complement inhibitors).
  • Known history of coagulopathy, blood clotting, recent severe bleeding (e.g. GI bleed).
  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding. Pregnancy must be excluded for all potential participants who are able to become pregnant prior to initiation of treatment.
  • IgG levels \< 600mg/dL
  • Evidence of active or chronic Hepatitis B infection, untreated Hepatitis C infection, HIV with low CD4 (\<200) count.

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

University of Colorado

Aurora, Colorado, 80045, United States

RECRUITING

Related Publications (27)

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    PMID: 23619327BACKGROUND
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    PMID: 38304709BACKGROUND
  • Bril V, Szczudlik A, Vaitkus A, Rozsa C, Kostera-Pruszczyk A, Hon P, Bednarik J, Tyblova M, Kohler W, Toomsoo T, Nowak RJ, Mozaffar T, Freimer ML, Nicolle MW, Magnus T, Pulley MT, Rivner M, Dimachkie MM, Distad BJ, Pascuzzi RM, Babiar D, Lin J, Querolt Coll M, Griffin R, Mondou E. Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial of the Corticosteroid-Sparing Effects of Immunoglobulin in Myasthenia Gravis. Neurology. 2023 Feb 14;100(7):e671-e682. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000201501. Epub 2022 Oct 21.

    PMID: 36270895BACKGROUND
  • Howard JF Jr, Bril V, Vu T, Karam C, Peric S, Margania T, Murai H, Bilinska M, Shakarishvili R, Smilowski M, Guglietta A, Ulrichts P, Vangeneugden T, Utsugisawa K, Verschuuren J, Mantegazza R; ADAPT Investigator Study Group. Safety, efficacy, and tolerability of efgartigimod in patients with generalised myasthenia gravis (ADAPT): a multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial. Lancet Neurol. 2021 Jul;20(7):526-536. doi: 10.1016/S1474-4422(21)00159-9.

    PMID: 34146511BACKGROUND
  • Gwathmey KG, Ding H, Hehir M, Silvestri N. How should newer therapeutic agents be incorporated into the treatment of patients with myasthenia gravis? Muscle Nerve. 2024 Apr;69(4):389-396. doi: 10.1002/mus.28038. Epub 2024 Feb 3.

    PMID: 38308492BACKGROUND
  • Ulrichts P, Guglietta A, Dreier T, van Bragt T, Hanssens V, Hofman E, Vankerckhoven B, Verheesen P, Ongenae N, Lykhopiy V, Enriquez FJ, Cho J, Ober RJ, Ward ES, de Haard H, Leupin N. Neonatal Fc receptor antagonist efgartigimod safely and sustainably reduces IgGs in humans. J Clin Invest. 2018 Oct 1;128(10):4372-4386. doi: 10.1172/JCI97911. Epub 2018 Jul 24.

    PMID: 30040076BACKGROUND
  • Howard JF Jr, Bril V, Burns TM, Mantegazza R, Bilinska M, Szczudlik A, Beydoun S, Garrido FJRR, Piehl F, Rottoli M, Van Damme P, Vu T, Evoli A, Freimer M, Mozaffar T, Ward ES, Dreier T, Ulrichts P, Verschueren K, Guglietta A, de Haard H, Leupin N, Verschuuren JJGM; Efgartigimod MG Study Group. Randomized phase 2 study of FcRn antagonist efgartigimod in generalized myasthenia gravis. Neurology. 2019 Jun 4;92(23):e2661-e2673. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000007600. Epub 2019 May 22.

    PMID: 31118245BACKGROUND
  • Katzberg HD, Barnett C, Merkies IS, Bril V. Minimal clinically important difference in myasthenia gravis: outcomes from a randomized trial. Muscle Nerve. 2014 May;49(5):661-5. doi: 10.1002/mus.23988. Epub 2014 Feb 4.

    PMID: 24810970BACKGROUND
  • Guptill JT, Juel VC, Massey JM, Anderson AC, Chopra M, Yi JS, Esfandiari E, Buchanan T, Smith B, Atherfold P, Jones E, Howard JF Jr. Effect of therapeutic plasma exchange on immunoglobulins in myasthenia gravis. Autoimmunity. 2016 Nov;49(7):472-479. doi: 10.1080/08916934.2016.1214823. Epub 2016 Aug 11.

    PMID: 27684107BACKGROUND
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    PMID: 16286541BACKGROUND
  • Howard JF Jr, Utsugisawa K, Benatar M, Murai H, Barohn RJ, Illa I, Jacob S, Vissing J, Burns TM, Kissel JT, Muppidi S, Nowak RJ, O'Brien F, Wang JJ, Mantegazza R; REGAIN Study Group. Safety and efficacy of eculizumab in anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody-positive refractory generalised myasthenia gravis (REGAIN): a phase 3, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre study. Lancet Neurol. 2017 Dec;16(12):976-986. doi: 10.1016/S1474-4422(17)30369-1. Epub 2017 Oct 20.

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  • Vu T, Meisel A, Mantegazza R, Annane D, Katsuno M, Aguzzi R, Enayetallah A, Beasley KN, Rampal N, Howard JF. Terminal Complement Inhibitor Ravulizumab in Generalized Myasthenia Gravis. NEJM Evid. 2022 May;1(5):EVIDoa2100066. doi: 10.1056/EVIDoa2100066. Epub 2022 Apr 26.

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MeSH Terms

Interventions

efgartigimod alfa

Study Officials

  • Thomas Ragole, MD

    University of Colorado, Denver

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
phase 4
Allocation
NA
Masking
NONE
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
SINGLE GROUP
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

February 28, 2025

First Posted

March 6, 2025

Study Start

March 6, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

December 31, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

December 31, 2026

Last Updated

July 11, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-07

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will share

Individual participant data that underlie the results reported in this article, after deidentification (text, tables, figures, and appendices).

Shared Documents
STUDY PROTOCOL
Time Frame
Beginning 9 months and ending 36 months following article publication
Access Criteria
Researchers who provide a methodologically sound proposal. Proposals should be directed to NeurologyResearch@cuanschutz.edu. To gain access, data requestors will need to sign a data access agreement.
More information

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