Mycophenolate mofetil and myasthenia gravis

Abstract

Myasthenia gravis (MG) represents the prototypic autoimmune disorder with well characterized immunopathology. Advances in the diagnosis and treatment of this neuromuscular transmission disorder have significantly improved the management of myasthenic patients. Unfortunately the currently available immunomodulating treatments have significant side effects and some patients do not tolerate them or adequately respond to them. Therefore the possibility of a new immunosuppressant agent that is safe, effective and has steroid-sparing effect is very appealing. Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) has shown promising effects in MG patients in preliminary studies and is currently being studied in two prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled, multicenter trials to better establish its role in the treatment of MG.