James Howard AAN 2022: Ravulizumab for adults with anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody-positive generalized myasthenia gravis – Results from the phase 3 CHAMPION-MG OLE trial

Ravulizumab has recently been approved by in the US for the treatment of adults with anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody-positive (AChR Ab+) generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG). Prof. James Howard (The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA) kindly joins touchNEUROLOGY to discuss the phase 3 CHAMPION-MG trial open label extension study that evaluated the efficacy and safety of ravulizumab, a potent terminal complement C5 inhibitor, in AChR Ab+ gMG.

Questions:

1. What is the rationale for the use of ravulizumab in the treatment of MG? (0:19)
2. What did the CHAMPION MG study teach us about ravulizumab’s efficacy and safety in patients with anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody-positive generalised MG? (2:30)
3. Which patients were eligible to enter the open label extension study (OLE) and what were the interim findings? (4:47)
4. What are your take home messages? (5:29)

Disclosures: James Howard receives grant/research Support from Alexion Pharmaceuticals, argenx BVBA, Cartesian Therapeutics, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Atlanta, GA, USA), the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the National Institutes of Health (including the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases), PCORI, Ra Pharmaceuticals (now UCB Biosciences), and Takeda Pharmaceuticals; he is on the advisory Board for Alexion Pharmaceuticals, argenx BVBA, and Ra Pharmaceuticals (now UCB Biosciences); and is a major stock shareholder in GlaxoSmithkline, JNJ, and Pfizer.

Support:  Interview and filming supported by Touch Medical Media. Interview conducted by Shanice Allen.

Filmed as a highlight of AAN 2022