Acetylcholine Receptor Antibody Neutralization and Selective B-Cell Suppression Using Fc Fusion Protein

Abstract

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease characterized by formation of autoantibodies against the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR). Some patients do not show sufficient improvement and develop adverse effects following administration of conventional immune therapy; therefore, the development of new treatments is important. Based on the concept of "selective removal of pathogenic antibodies and cells without suppression of normal immunity," we are developing a fusion protein referred to as AChR-Fc (composed of the AChR alpha subunit and Fc region of human immunoglobulin G1), which shows the following mechanisms of action: selective neutralization of AChR antibodies and cytotoxic activity against AChR antibody-producing pathogenic B cells. Treatment with AChR-Fc is a novel therapeutic approach that may be useful in the management of MG.