Could a common arthritis drug ease tough myasthenia gravis?

NCT ID NCT04431895

Completed Disease control Sponsor: Huashan Hospital Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026

Summary

This pilot study tested the drug tofacitinib in 19 adults with refractory myasthenia gravis, a condition where standard treatments fail. Participants took a 5 mg tablet twice daily for 4 months, followed by a 1-month washout. The study measured changes in muscle strength and daily living activities. As an early-phase, single-arm trial, it provides initial safety and efficacy data but cannot prove the drug works.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: tofacitinib (a JAK inhibitor, taken as a 5 mg tablet twice daily)
What this could lead to: If it works, this could offer a new oral treatment option for people with myasthenia gravis that does not respond to standard therapies.
What could go wrong: This is a very early, small pilot study with only 19 participants and no placebo group. Results may not apply to all patients, and tofacitinib has known risks like infections and blood clots.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

myasthenia gravis

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

MYASTHENIA GRAVIS, GENERALIZED

Contacts and locations

Locations

Huashan Hospital

Shanghai, 200040, China

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