From Symptoms to Subtypes: Modern Diagnosis of Myositis Using Myositis-Specific Antibodies (MSA)
From Symptoms to Subtypes: Modern Diagnosis of Myositis Using Myositis-Specific Antibodies (MSA)
Wednesday, September 9th, 11am EST | 5pm CET
Join BBI for an educational webinar exploring the clinical landscape of myositis, the challenges patients face on the path to diagnosis, and the growing role of myositis-specific autoantibodies in disease classification and risk stratification.
Autoimmune diseases affect an estimated 4–10% of the global population and are rising in incidence, yet many patients face a multi-year diagnostic journey with repeated misdiagnoses and fragmented care. Within this landscape, idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (myositis, IIM) represent a rare but clinically impactful group of conditions characterized by muscle weakness, lung disease, systemic involvement, and substantial morbidity.
In this first webinar, BBI and Dr. Michael Mahler will review the global epidemiology and subtype distribution of myositis, outline the typical patient journey from symptom presentation, through multiple specialists to final diagnosis, and examine the strengths and limitations of current diagnostic tools including myositis-specific autoantibodies. We will discuss how MSA increasingly define clinically meaningful subgroups, while also highlighting the need for molecular disease classification and assay standardization.
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About Our Speaker
Dr. Michael Mahler - Autoimmunity and diagnostic immunology expert
Dr. Michael Mahler began his scientific career at the University of Heidelberg (laboratory of Prof. E. Bautz and Dr. M. Blüthner), earning his PhD in Molecular Genetics and Immunology. During his doctoral studies, he conducted research at the Scripps Research Institute (La Jolla, California, US) under Professors Eng Tan and Michael Pollard, both internationally recognized pioneers in autoimmune disease research.
Throughout his career, Dr. Michael Mahler has held senior scientific and leadership positions at several diagnostic companies, where his transformative work has led to the discovery of novel autoantigens and the development of innovative diagnostic solutions. His scientific contributions have resulted in over 300 peer-reviewed publications and numerous patents, advancing the accurate diagnosis of autoimmune diseases. Driven by deep interest in molecular mechanisms and biomarkers in systemic autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and myositis, Dr. Mahler’s vision is to enable precision medicine in autoimmunity. Prior to joining Exagen as Chief Scientific Officer, he served as Senior Vice President of Research Development and Business Development at Werfen, where he was responsible for all development programs in the autoimmunity field, including instruments, software, and reagents.
Key takeaways:
- Why myositis remains difficult to diagnose
Understand why a rare but high-impact disease, with an incidence of ~14–17 cases per million per year, can lead patients through a long diagnostic journey marked by heterogeneous symptoms and uncertainty. - How myositis-specific antibodies help define clinical subsets
Explore how MSA can help distinguish clinically meaningful patient groups and support a more precise understanding of this complex disease. - How antibody profiles can support prognosis
Learn how autoantibody patterns may provide insight into disease progression, complications, and risk stratification beyond symptom presentation alone. - Why autoantibodies can outperform clinical classification
See how immunodiagnostic markers can reveal clinically relevant distinctions that traditional clinical classification may miss. - How comprehensive immunodiagnostic marker sets can improve diagnosis
Discover why broader, well-selected marker panels can aid diagnosis, reduce gaps in testing, and support more confident decision-making in a complex autoimmune disease.
Who should attend?
This webinar is designed for professionals involved in autoimmune disease research, diagnostics, assay development, and clinical testing, including:
- Assay developers and R&D teams working on autoimmune or immunology diagnostic tests
- IVD manufacturers and diagnostic product teams developing or evaluating autoimmune testing solutions
- Clinical laboratory professionals involved in autoimmune antibody testing and interpretation
- Medical affairs, scientific affairs, and product management teams supporting autoimmune diagnostic portfolios
- Researchers and translational scientists studying myositis, autoantibodies, inflammatory myopathies, or related autoimmune diseases
