Argenx has found a new doubles partner for its work to raise awareness of myasthenia gravis (MG).
As part of her newly announced team-up with the Dutch drugmaker, tennis great Monica Seles is opening up about her own MG diagnosis for the first time, in an effort not only to boost broader awareness of the autoimmune disease but also to drive others affected by MG toward helpful resources.
“My MG journey over the past 5 years has not been an easy one. I felt isolated and defeated as many of the activities I enjoyed were no longer physically possible for me,” Seles said in Tuesday’s announcement. “I’ve since realized that by sharing my story, I can raise awareness of this disease, empower patients to advocate for themselves and help them connect with the MG community for support.”
“I am excited to partner with the argenx team—to inspire others living with MG to rally against this disease, pursue their goals, and live a fulfilling life. We’re all in this together,” the nine-time Grand Slam champion added.
In keeping with the tennis theme, argenx has also signed on as a premier global sponsor of the U.S. Open, which is set to kick off in New York at the end of this month—and which Seles won twice, in 1991 and 1992.
The partnership with Seles builds on argenx’s ongoing “Go for Greater” MG awareness push, which it launched in 2023. The initiative centers on a three-step action plan to help MG patients improve their everyday lives, starting with expanding their loved ones’ understanding of life with MG, then accessing tools and resources to better define personal goals and priorities and, finally, learning about new treatment options.
Though both the partnership with Seles and the “Go for Greater” campaign are unbranded, argenx sells IV infusion Vyvgart and its subcutaneous sibling Vyvgart Hytrulo to treat generalized myasthenia gravis.
Earlier this year, argenx earned the FDA’s sign-off for a prefilled syringe version of Vyvgart Hytrulo—which is also approved in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP)—followed mere weeks later by the rollout of a direct-to-consumer TV campaign touting the product.
The company is banking on sales of the self-administered version of the drug to help drive it toward profitability this year. In an interview with Fierce Pharma at the start of this year, Chief Operating Officer Karen Massey discussed argenx’s preparations for the rollout and DTC campaigns as ways of reaching more doctors and “activating the patient,” ideally expanding Vyvgart Hytrulo’s reach in both gMG and CIDP.