Adimanebart is a humanized monoclonal antibody designed to activate muscle-specific kinase (MuSK), a critical regulator of neuromuscular junction (NMJ) stability and function. Discovered through the proprietary SIMPLE Antibody™ platform and advanced within the IIP, adimanebart is the result of true co-creation: bringing together argenx antibody engineering expertise with the insights of leading academic scientists. Inspired by patient-derived antibodies in MuSK myasthenia gravis (MG) that revealed the potential of dual-arm MuSK activation, adimanebart embodies the IIP model of innovation, collaboration, and discovery — pioneering a new therapeutic pathway in neuromuscular and autoimmune disease treatment.
Through our Immunology Innovation Program (IIP), argenx scientists and academic collaborators co-created adimanebart (previously ARGX-119) — a pioneering agonist antibody designed to activate MuSK and being investigated in neuromuscular disease treatment.
Featured Voices
Maartje Huijbers, PhD
Associate Professor and Research Group Leader at the Leiden University Medical Center
adimanebart Collaborator
Maartje G. Huijbers, PhD is an Associate Professor and Research Group Leader in the Departments of Human Genetics and Neurology at Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), where she also serves as Vice Dean of Research since 2025. Her research centered on MuSK biology, and her work was instrumental in the collaboration that ultimately brought about the development of adimanebart, an investigational antibody to target Muscle Specific Kinase (MuSK).
Roeland Vanhauwaert, PhD
Scientific Asset Lead of the adimanebart Program
argenx
Roeland Vanhauwaert, PhD is a Principal Scientist II at argenx with a background in neurodegeneration and neuromuscular biology. As Scientific Asset Lead for the adimanebart program (previously ARGX‑119) since 2019, he has overseen the development of the MuSK agonist antibody.
Steve Burden, PhD
Senior Lecturer, Neurology Department
Massachusetts General Hospital
adimanebart Collaborator
Steve Burden, PhD, is a Senior Lecturer at Harvard University and a pioneer in the biology of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). His research was key to identifying MuSK and understanding how it functions. His work in MuSK biology, together with his collaboration with argenx, ultimately led to the development of adimanebart (previously ARGX-119), an investigational antibody targeting Muscle Specific Kinase (MuSK).
Partner With Us
The adimanebart program exemplifies how deep biological insights and antibody engineering can transform unmet needs into therapeutic possibilities. By bringing together two distinct lines of research, argenx and its academic partners unified their expertise around a shared goal: to translate early scientific insights into a novel therapeutic approach for neuromuscular diseases.
For more information on partnering opportunities, please contact IIP@argenx.com.
