In mid-November 2021, global biopharmaceutical company Zai Lab Limited (“Zai Lab”) shared via news release that the first patient was dosed in the Greater China portion of the ADHERE study. Within this global study, researchers are evaluating efgartigimod as a therapeutic option for chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). Since limited therapeutic options exist for patients, efgartigimod has the potential to greatly improve patient outcomes.

Efgartigimod

To begin, what exactly is efgartigimod? According to Argenx, efgartigimod is an investigational antibody fragment which targets the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn). By targeting FcRn in patients with pathogenic IgG, as well as IgG autoantibodies, researchers hope to improve quality-of-life (QOL) for patients with autoimmune conditions by preventing IgG recycling. Outside of CIDP, researchers are also evaluating efgartigimod as a potential treatment for generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG), bullous pemphigoid, and immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), among others.

Currently, an estimated 50,000 people in China have CIDP. The current standards-of-care include plasma exchanges, corticosteroid use, and intravenously administered immunoglobulin. However, these treatments can be invasive, difficult to access, or ineffective. Thus, new therapeutic options are urgently needed. Within the ADHERE study, researchers will evaluate the safety, efficacy, and tolerability of subcutaneously administered efgartigimod in adults with CIDP.

Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP)

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is a rare neurological disorder, also believed to be an autoimmune disorder. Autoimmune disorders occur when the body mistakenly attacks itself. In CIDP, peripheral nerves and nerve roots become inflamed, causing myelin sheath destruction. The myelin sheath normally protects nerve fibers from damage. However, when these fibers become exposed, nerve signals do not transmit as well, leading to inhibited communication between the nerves and the body. An estimated 33% of those with CIDP require mobility assistance. Symptoms include:

• Difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Uncoordinated movement
• Changes in voice, such as hoarseness or slurred speech
• Muscle weakness, particularly in the arms, legs, hands, and feet
• Loss of balance and reflexes
• Difficulty walking
• Loss of sensation, numbness or decreased sensation, pain, burning, or tingling