Steve Bryson, PhD, science writer —

An immunosuppressive medication that’s used to prevent organ rejection after transplantation successfully treated cutaneous sarcoidosis, a type of sarcoidosis of the skin, in most patients in a small clinical trial. Sirolimus, which suppresses a signaling pathway called mTOR, reduced or eliminated skin granulomas and its benefits persisted for…

Bone fractures, particularly those of the spine, are a common complication among people with sarcoidosis, according to a study that assessed nearly 400 patients. Data showed that sarcoidosis-related lung involvement and reduced lung function were risk factors for major bone fractures. Chest X-rays examining lung involvement, as well as…

Blood levels of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) — a common sarcoidosis biomarker — were able to distinguish between newly diagnosed sarcoidosis patients with single versus multiple organ involvement, a study shows. Also, higher blood levels of interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R), an inflammatory marker, were linked with multiple organ involvement. ACE…

Higher doses of the investigational therapy efzofitimod significantly reduced relapse rates after a dose of a corticosteroid was reduced in people with pulmonary sarcoidosis, according to a new, pooled analysis of Phase 1b/2a trial data. The first-in-class immunomodulatory therapy, developed by aTyr Pharma, also significantly improved lung…

Most cardiac sarcoidosis patients respond to six months of first-line treatment with the corticosteroid prednisolone and show reduced active inflammation in the heart, according to a small study in Japan. Cardiovascular events were less common among responders relative to those who respondly poorly, further confirming first-line prednisolone’s effectiveness…

Despite advances in testing, fewer than one of every six people evaluated for suspected neurosarcoidosis — sarcoidosis affecting the nervous system — received a definite diagnosis of the inflammatory disorder, according to a 30-year study in Sweden. A confirmed neurosarcoidosis diagnosis in those cases was made only following a…

Patient and physician education, trust-building, and support mechanisms are needed to reduce barriers to clinical trial participation for Black people with sarcoidosis, according to a paper by the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FRS). The white paper was titled “Ignore No More Campaign on Clinical Trials…

In advance of Sarcoidosis Awareness Month in April, the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR) and aTyr Pharma will hold a virtual town hall about sarcoidosis and considerations for transitioning from standard corticosteroids to new therapies. The meeting, which is open to anyone, will be held online at…

Researchers have uncovered a network of abnormally activated immune cells and fibroblasts — the primary active cell of connective tissue — within granulomas, the clumps of cells that cause sarcoidosis. The key players in granuloma formation include metabolically reprogrammed immune macrophages, immune T-helper (Th) cells producing pro-inflammatory molecules, and…

Findings of defects in the heart’s right ventricle, as assessed with an MRI scan, can predict the occurrence of cardiovascular events in people with confirmed or suspected cardiac sarcoidosis, a review study showed. Particularly, scarring in the right ventricle muscle was a “strong independent predictor” of sudden heart-related death,…