Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disorder that is characterized by fluctuating weakness of the voluntary muscle groups. MG is a rare, but not exceptional, autoimmune disease that is diagnosed in one in seven thousand (1.33/10000) to one per five thousand (2/10000) of the population. On top of this existing case, each year, there are 15 new cases per 1.000.000 of the population. In total, on 5 years period, in Europe USA and Japan alone, there are more than 250000 patients that need treatment.
MG is characterized by muscular fatigue leading to extreme weakness. The fatigue is caused by the loss of ability to convert nerve impulses into muscle contraction. The patient's immune system produces antibodies that attack the docking sites or receptors on the nerve/muscle interface. As the receptor sites are destroyed, the neurotransmitter acetylcholine is increasingly unable to transmit the nerve impulse by attaching to a receptor site. While unattached it is rapidly broken down by the acetyl cholinesterase enzyme. The nerve continues to send an impulse until the muscle reacts and this nerve becomes exhausted (giving the sensation of muscle fatigue).
The candidate vaccine, against MG, developed by the company is a proven concept in an artificial disease model in rats and a naturally occurring disease on dogs. This therapy, aimed at curing completely MG, has recently received orphan drug status from the EMEA. It is available for licensing or co-development.

Innovative Aspects:
The company owns and exploits a patent on a technique to produce complementary peptides. Complementary peptides that mimic the opposite shape of the protein under autoimmune attack can be very useful on the treatment of autoimmune diseases.
The MG therapeutic vaccine, developed by the Belgian company, is intended to cure MG once for all with just 3 vaccine shots.

 

Patents/Rights: Patent(s) granted

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