Efgartigimod alfa
| Clinical data | |
|---|---|
| Trade names | Vyvgart |
| Other names | ARGX-113, efgartigimod alfa-fcab |
| AHFS/Drugs.com | Monograph |
| MedlinePlus | a622057 |
| License data | |
| Routes of administration | Intravenous |
| Drug class | Neonatal Fc receptor blocker |
| ATC code | |
| Legal status | |
| Legal status | |
| Identifiers | |
| CAS Number | |
| IUPHAR/BPS | |
| DrugBank | |
| UNII | |
| KEGG | |
| Chemical and physical data | |
| Formula | C2310H3554N602O692S14 |
| Molar mass | 51280.20 g·mol−1 |
Efgartigimod alfa, sold under the brand name Vyvgart, is a medication used to treat myasthenia gravis. Efgartigimod alfa is a neonatal Fc receptor blocker and is a new class of medication. It is an antibody fragment that binds to the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn), preventing FcRn from recycling immunoglobulin G (IgG) back into the blood. The medication causes a reduction in overall levels of IgG, including the abnormal acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibodies that are present in myasthenia gravis. It is also available coformulated with hyaluronidase.
The most common side effects include respiratory tract infections, headache, urinary tract infections, and paresthesia (numbness, tingling).
It was approved for medical use in the United States in December 2021, and in the European Union in August 2022. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers it to be a first-in-class medication.