The primary purpose of the MGNet pilot study program is to promote development of highly innovative early stage investigations focused on discovery of biomarkers predictive of treatment, improve clinical trial readiness through enhancement of patient-centered outcome measures, or process improvement of clinical trials in myasthenia gravis (MG). The MGNet RDCRC will more precisely define the clinical phenotype of MG subtypes (thymoma-associated, acetylcholine receptor antibody-positive of late- and early-onset, muscle-specific kinase-positive, ACHR- MUSK negative) coupled with biospecimen collection. This rich resource will be available for pilot grant proposals with grant recipients benefiting from MGNet core services in clinical research coordinator training, immunology, and biostatistics. Investigators will also actively collaborate with MGNet administration and investigators to assure successful completion of study milestones. MGNet will request applications on an annual basis and only select the most promising proposals that fulfill MGNet goals. The pilot study program benefits greatly from the collaboration of the MG Foundation of America and Conquer MG, which have agreed to fold in their existing pilot grant programs into the MGNet RDCRC.
