What Does Argenx Do? Pioneering Immunology and Antibody Therapies

October 7, 2025 •

3 min read

Founded in 2008, argenx is a global immunology company with a primary focus on improving the lives of people living with severe autoimmune diseases by translating immunology breakthroughs into a portfolio of innovative antibody-based medicines. The key question, "What does argenx do?", is answered through its strategic focus on targeting the underlying biology of these conditions with its proprietary technology platforms.

Quick Summary

Argenx is a biopharmaceutical company specializing in antibody-based treatments for severe autoimmune diseases, leveraging proprietary platforms to develop and commercialize novel medicines. The company's lead commercial product, Vyvgart (efgartigimod), is an FcRn blocker approved for multiple indications.

Key Points

Autoimmune Focus: Argenx is a biotechnology company focused on developing antibody-based treatments for severe autoimmune diseases.
Flagship Product: Their most prominent commercial product is Vyvgart (efgartigimod), a first-in-class FcRn blocker that reduces levels of disease-causing IgG antibodies.
Primary Indications: Vyvgart is approved for treating generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG), chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), and primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) in various regions.
Innovation Engine: Argenx’s research is fueled by its Immunology Innovation Program (IIP), which collaborates with academic researchers to translate breakthroughs into medicines.
Diverse Pipeline: Beyond Vyvgart, argenx has an extensive pipeline of candidates, including empasiprubart (C2 inhibitor) and ARGX-119 (MuSK agonist), for numerous other autoimmune conditions.
Strategic Vision: The company has a "Vision 2030" to significantly expand treatment access for patients and advance more pipeline candidates into late-stage development.

Who is argenx and what is their mission?

argenx is a commercial-stage biotechnology company focused on developing antibody-based therapies for severe autoimmune diseases where the immune system attacks the body's own tissues. Headquartered in the Netherlands, argenx aims to address significant unmet medical needs through its Immunology Innovation Program (IIP), which combines the company’s antibody engineering expertise with insights from academic researchers to accelerate the development of potential therapies. Their mission is to create new treatment options for debilitating, rare conditions.

The science behind argenx's treatments

Argenx's approach is based on antibody engineering and several key scientific platforms, including:

SIMPLE Antibody™ Platform: Utilizes llama immune systems to create diverse antibody panels similar to human antibodies.
Fc Engineering Technologies: Modifies the Fc region of antibodies to improve their therapeutic properties, such as the ABDEG™ technology used in Vyvgart.
FcRn Inhibition: A core focus to reduce pathogenic IgG autoantibodies by blocking the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn).

VYVGART (efgartigimod): A flagship product

VYVGART, or efgartigimod, is argenx's lead product, employing the FcRn inhibition strategy. Vyvgart is approved globally and works by blocking FcRn to help clear disease-causing IgG autoantibodies.

Vyvgart's approved indications

VYVGART is approved for treating several conditions linked to pathogenic IgG autoantibodies, including:

Generalized Myasthenia Gravis (gMG): A rare neuromuscular disorder.
Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP): A progressive nerve disorder.
Primary Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP): A bleeding disorder.

A comparison of Vyvgart vs. older treatments for gMG


Feature	Vyvgart (efgartigimod)	Older Treatments (e.g., Steroids, IVIg)
Mechanism of Action	Targets and blocks the FcRn receptor, leading to specific removal of pathogenic IgG antibodies.	Non-specific immune suppression (steroids) or broad-based administration of antibodies (IVIg).
Targeted Approach	Highly targeted, addressing the root cause by reducing specific problematic antibodies.	Less targeted, affecting the broader immune system and potentially leading to more widespread side effects.
Dosing Frequency	Administered intravenously or via subcutaneous injection, with dosing cycles rather than daily or weekly infusions.	Varies, can require frequent oral doses (steroids) or regular hospital-based infusions (IVIg).
Side Effects	Generally considered well-tolerated in clinical studies, with targeted action potentially reducing broad immunosuppressive effects.	Potential for significant long-term side effects, including weight gain, mood changes, and increased infection risk.

Argenx's pipeline and future vision

Argenx has a substantial pipeline beyond Vyvgart for various autoimmune diseases. Their "Vision 2030" aims to transform autoimmune disease treatment by treating 50,000 patients and securing 10 labeled indications.

Key pipeline candidates include:

Empasiprubart (C2 inhibitor): Studied for conditions like multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) and CIDP.
ARGX-119 (MuSK agonist): In clinical studies for neuromuscular conditions including congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMS) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Next-Wave Candidates: New molecules advancing into Phase 1 studies targeting various pathways like IL-6.

For more information on argenx's clinical trials, visit {Link: argenx.com https://www.argenx.com/}.

Conclusion: Advancing the treatment of autoimmune diseases

argenx is dedicated to developing targeted antibody therapies for severe autoimmune disorders. Their flagship product, Vyvgart (efgartigimod), a breakthrough FcRn inhibitor, offers a new treatment option for conditions such as gMG and CIDP by reducing pathogenic IgG antibodies. Through its IIP and extensive pipeline, argenx continues to innovate in immunology to address a broad spectrum of autoimmune diseases. The company is committed to improving patient lives.

Frequently Asked Questions

Argenx focuses on developing treatments for severe autoimmune diseases, which occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's own tissues. These include neuromuscular disorders like myasthenia gravis (MG) and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), as well as other conditions like primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP).

Vyvgart (efgartigimod) is an FcRn blocker. It works by binding to and blocking the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn), a protein that recycles IgG antibodies. By blocking FcRn, Vyvgart effectively reduces the amount of disease-causing IgG autoantibodies in the body.

Yes, Vyvgart is approved for multiple indications in different regions. These include generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG), chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), and primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP).

The IIP is a core business strategy where argenx partners with academic researchers to advance immunology breakthroughs. By combining their antibody expertise with the researchers' understanding of disease biology, they co-create a pipeline of potential therapeutic candidates.

The argenx pipeline includes several other candidates in clinical trials. These include empasiprubart, a C2 inhibitor, and ARGX-119, a MuSK agonist, being developed for different autoimmune and neuromuscular conditions.

While it is a global company, argenx is headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. It also has offices and operations in various other countries, including the United States and Japan.

argenx utilizes its proprietary SIMPLE Antibody™ platform, which is based on the llama immune system, to discover novel antibodies. It also uses Fc engineering technologies, like ABDEG™, to modify and enhance the properties of its antibody candidates.