German science and technology company Merck KGaA (ETR:MRK) said on Thursday that it has commenced a Phase III clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of oral cladribine for the treatment of generalised Myasthenia Gravis (gMG).

gMG is a rare autoimmune disorder that causes muscle weakness, significantly impacting patients' lives.

Cladribine, a potential first-line oral therapy for gMG, is designed to target B and T lymphocytes, believed to be the root cause of the disease. By selectively reducing these cells, cladribine aims to slow the progression of gMG and improve patients' quality of life.

"This treatment approach holds the promise of achieving a high degree of disease activity control, offering greatly improved convenience, and ultimately enabling patients to live their lives as normally as possible," said Jan Klatt, head of Development Unit Neurology & Immunology for the Healthcare business of Merck KGaA.