Emerging Therapies for the Treatment of Autoimmune Myasthenia Gravis

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease mediated by autoantibodies that mainly target muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) and cause loss of functional AChRs in the neuromuscular junction. Despite extensive knowledge from studies on MG and its major autoantigen, the aetiology of the disease remains unclear, thus rendering therapeutic options unable to target the causative agent. Latest progress on recombinant expression of the AChR subunits has allowed for some alternative, though promising, therapeutic approaches. The scope of this chapter is to provide an overview of the recent achievements in the field of emerging therapeutics for MG, including antigen-specific therapies, which are directed at the autoimmune response.