Acting on Awareness: Paving the Way for Targeted MG Treatments

Acting on Awareness: Paving the Way for Targeted MG Treatments

For the past 60 years, Janssen has been deeply rooted in the field of neuroscience. Today, and every day, we are proud to commit ourselves to developing and delivering patient-centric treatment options for a broad-range of neurological disorders, including neuroimmune conditions like myasthenia gravis (MG). For those of you who may not be as familiar with MG, it is a highly debilitating, rare disease that impacts an estimated 700,000 individuals worldwide. What’s more – nearly 85% of this patient population is living with a more extensive form of the disease known as generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG).

With June marking MG Awareness Month, I’m reflecting on how much progress has been made and how much work still needs to be done to advance the treatment landscape for patients living with this highly debilitating, rare condition. 

The gMG Treatment Landscape

Treatment for gMG is mainly nonspecific and includes interventions with considerable side effects like the use of corticosteroids, plasma exchange and surgical removal of the thymus gland. When left untreated, patients with gMG may experience weakness in their skeletal muscles, making it difficult to perform everyday actions like speaking, standing up, swallowing, and lifting arms over the head. Furthermore, significant unmet need impacts 20% of patients living with gMG who do not adequately respond to these nonspecific treatments.

Progressing Potential Treatment for gMG at Janssen

As part of our strategy to strengthen our expansion into new diseases and modalities, last year we acquired Momenta Pharmaceuticals. This acquisition offered Janssen access to an investigational therapy, nipocalimab, which is a novel asset with potential to address autoantibody-mediated autoimmune diseases like gMG. Nipocalimab was granted Orphan Drug Designation by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration in February 2021, and earlier this year at the 2021 American Academy of Neurology Virtual Meeting, we presented full results from the Phase 2 Vivacity-MG study of nipocalimab in gMG, which showed the treatment was well-tolerated, safe and effective.

 In Closing

That’s why in honor of Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month, we’re spearheading several initiatives at Janssen and encouraging everyone to participate in programming lead by organizations like the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America to learn more about the patients and their caregivers who face MG and gMG every day. I’ll be participating in a Twitter chat on June 29th at 7 p.m. ET with members of the MG community, caregivers and researchers, and I encourage you to join and hear their stories.

 Finally, I’d like to formally express The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson’s commitment to developing and investigating potential treatment options that may be able to help better serve, and meet the needs of patients with MG.



Deborah F. A.

Managing Director, Healthcare - Co-Founder Board Member of The 90-10 Institute - Impact Investing OPEN TO BOARD ROLES

2y

Bravo!

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