Generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) is a rare autoimmune neuromuscular disease that leads to fluctuating muscle weakness and fatigue, often disrupting daily life. Even with standard therapies, many patients continue to experience persistent symptoms or medication‑related side effects. Chronic immunoglobulin therapy is often used, but it comes with its own challenges, including limited clinical evidence and a heavy treatment burden. Therefore, there is a need for newer, targeted options like efgartigimod, recently approved in Canada for AChR antibody–positive (AChR Ab+) gMG. Assessing its clinical benefits and economic impact is essential for guiding decisions in the public healthcare payer system.
The Value & Evidence team at EVERSANA (Allen Zhou and David Garcia), argenx (the sponsor), and clinical experts have recently co‑authored a study looking at the value of efgartigimod for treating AChR Ab+ gMG in Canada. Using a rigorously developed Markov model informed by clinical trial data from the ADAPT and ADAPT+ trials, a network meta-analysis, and real‑world evidence, the research compared efgartigimod with chronic immunoglobulin therapy from the perspective of Canada’s publicly funded healthcare system.
Over a lifetime horizon, efgartigimod was projected to deliver substantially greater quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and reduce overall healthcare costs. These results highlight efgartigimod as a clinically beneficial and cost-saving treatment option for Canadians living with AChR‑Ab+ gMG.
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Author
Allen Zhou is an Associate Director at EVERSANA who specializes in economic modelling. Since joining EVERSANA in 2018, Allen has developed and led several cost-effectiveness and budget impact modelling projects, has developed a multi-day…
David Garcia is an Associate Director in the Health Economics & Outcomes Research group at EVERSANA. After several years of working as a physician in Venezuela, he moved to Canada and completed an MSc…