Switching to subcutaneous zilucoplan from intravenous complement component 5 inhibitors in generalised myasthenia gravis: a phase IIIb, open-label study

Background: Zilucoplan, a peptide complement component 5 (C5) inhibitor, is self-administered as a subcutaneous (SC) injection, which offers an alternative to intravenous infusion of antibody-based complement C5 inhibitors. Objective: To evaluate subcutaneous zilucoplan in adults with acetylcholine...

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Main Authors: Miriam Freimer, Urvi Desai, Raghav Govindarajan, Min K. Kang, Shaida Khan, Bhupendra Khatri, Todd Levine, Samir Macwan, Perry B. Shieh, Michael D. Weiss, Jos Bloemers, Babak Boroojerdi, Eumorphia Maria Delicha, Andreea Lavrov, Puneet Singh, James F. Howard
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2025-07-01
Series:Therapeutic Advances in Neurological Disorders
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/17562864251347283
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Summary:Background: Zilucoplan, a peptide complement component 5 (C5) inhibitor, is self-administered as a subcutaneous (SC) injection, which offers an alternative to intravenous infusion of antibody-based complement C5 inhibitors. Objective: To evaluate subcutaneous zilucoplan in adults with acetylcholine receptor autoantibody-positive generalised myasthenia gravis (gMG) who switched from intravenous complement C5 inhibitors to zilucoplan. Design: MG0017 (NCT05514873) was a phase IIIb, open-label, single-arm study. Methods: Eligible patients had clinically stable gMG on an intravenous complement C5 inhibitor and were willing to switch to zilucoplan. Patients received a 12-week treatment period of daily subcutaneous zilucoplan 0.3 mg/kg. Incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) was the primary endpoint. Change from baseline in the Myasthenia Gravis Activities of Daily Living (MG-ADL) score at Week 12 was a secondary endpoint. Treatment preference (Week 12) and treatment satisfaction (9-item Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication (TSQM-9)) were both exploratory endpoints. Assessments by prior intravenous complement C5 inhibitor were conducted post hoc. Results: Twenty-six patients enrolled and received zilucoplan; 16 switched from eculizumab and 10 from ravulizumab. TEAEs occurred in 19/26 (73.1%) patients and were mostly mild in severity. At Week 12, least squares (LS) mean (95% confidence interval) MG-ADL scores improved from baseline by −1.15 (−2.11, −0.19), p  = 0.0217 and Quantitative MG (QMG) scores by −1.24 (−2.64, 0.16), p  = 0.0802. Clinically meaningful improvement from baseline in mean MG-ADL and QMG scores was observed at Week 12 among patients who switched from ravulizumab (−2.41 (−4.52, −0.30; p  = 0.0307) and −3.52 (−6.14, −0.90; p  = 0.0149), respectively). At Week 12, 76.9% ( n  = 20) patients preferred subcutaneous injection compared with intravenous infusion. Mean (standard deviation) changes from baseline in the TSQM-9 Global Satisfaction, Effectiveness and Convenience subscores at Week 12 were +19.410 (27.429), +13.889 (21.534) and +21.739 (19.955), respectively. Complement inhibition increased from baseline and was complete (>95%) by Week 2 and maintained to Week 12. Conclusion: Zilucoplan demonstrated a favourable safety profile. gMG symptoms improved during zilucoplan treatment; this was clinically meaningful for those switching from ravulizumab. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05514873); 22 August 2022. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05514873
ISSN:1756-2864