The Potential of Nipocalimab as a Treatment for Autoantibody Mediated Diseases: Hong Sun, MD, PhD

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“I'm excited about the progress we're making with nipocalimab as a potential new treatment to patients with autoantibody mediated diseases. We're making significant development programs for this therapy running in parallel across more than 10 potential indications in 3 autoantibody-driven disease segments."

Janssen Pharmaceutical's nipocalimab is an investigational monoclonal antibody that shows high affinity and is fully human, aglycosylated, and devoid of effector functions.¹ The therapy is designed to selectively inhibit the Fc receptor (FcRn) with the target of lowering the levels of circulating immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies. These IgG antibodies include both autoantibodies and alloantibodies responsible for various medical conditions such as myasthenia gravis (MG). By blocking the FcRn, nipocalimab holds potential for patients with MG in diminishing autoantibody levels without compromising their overall immune function.

At the American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AANEM) meeting, held November 1-4, in Phoenix, Arizona, Janssen presented data on nipocalimab's research program, which includes patients with MG and other autoantibody diseases.² According to a statement from the company, the new data on nipocalimab underlines its potential as an effective therapy for patients with MG in helping to reduce disease burden and offers an option for those whose current treatments fail them.

Prior to the meeting, Hong Sun, MD, PhD, senior director, global compound development team leader, Janssen, sat down in an interview with NeurologyLive^® to discuss a specific abstract in which findings highlighted the correlation between IgG and clinical efficacy in autoimmune diseases. She talked about the potential indications that nipocalimab covers in MG, based on another presented abstract, and how it can impact patients with different autoimmune diseases. Additionally, Sun spoke about how IgG serves as a clinical efficacy biomarker, and the implications it has for clinical trials in the future for MG treatment. 

Click here for more coverage on AANEM 2023.

REFERENCES
1. Roy S, Nanovskaya T, Patrikeeva S, et al. M281, an anti-FcRn antibody, inhibits IgG transfer in a human ex vivo placental perfusion model. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2019;220(5):498.e1-498.e9. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2019.02.058
2. Janssen to Highlight Latest Research from Nipocalimab Clinical Development Program to Address Unmet Need in Myasthenia Gravis at AANEM 2023 Meeting. News Release. Published October 16, 2023. Accessed October 31, 2023. https://www.jnj.com/janssen-to-highlight-latest-research-from-nipocalimab-clinical-development-program-to-address-unmet-need-in-myasthenia-gravis-at-aanem-2023-meeting