News

aTyr Pharma announced a collaboration and license agreement with Kyorin Pharmaceutical to develop and commercialize ATYR1923, its potential disease-modifying treatment for those with interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), including pulmonary sarcoidosis, in Japan. ATYR1923 is a fusion protein that contains a portion of a human antibody linked to…

The transplantation program at Stanford Medicine has hit a milestone with its 1,000th procedure — performed on a 54-year-old woman with sarcoidosis. The surgery, carried under the Heart-Lung & Lung Transplantation Program at Stanford Health Care, is now part of the 750 lung transplants and 250 heart-lung…

While sarcoidosis affecting the testicles is rare, it can be a cause of infertility in men, according to a new case report. The report, “Sarcoidosis is a rare cause of infertility: A case report,” was published in Urology Case Reports. Sarcoidosis is characterized by the…

ATYR1923, aTyr Pharma’s lead investigational therapy for pulmonary sarcoidosis, is safe and well-tolerated, according to interim data from a Phase 1b/2a clinical trial. ATYR1923 is a first-in-class disease-modifying therapy  in development for the treatment of different types of interstitial lung diseases…

The lungs of patients with sarcoidosis are burdened with a more active subset of immune T-cells, called mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells, a study reports. The activity of these MAIT cells correlates with worse disease, supporting their potential as therapeutic targets, the researchers said. The study, “…

Despite skyrocketing healthcare costs, President Trump is committed to protecting the 30 million or so Americans with rare diseases and ensuring timely, affordable access to lifesaving treatments, the nation’s highest-ranking health official said. “We have to think about how our financing system can protect those with serious and rare illnesses.

Intermediate monocytes, a type of immune cell, may contribute to the development and progression of sarcoidosis through the production of TARC — a molecule that attracts other specific immune cells linked to inflammation, according to a small study. These findings point to intermediate monocytes and TARC as potential treatment targets…

Acthar Gel (repository corticotropin injection, or RCI) can improve sarcoidosis symptoms, a real-world study shows. Titled “Repository corticotropin injection in patients with advanced symptomatic sarcoidosis: retrospective analysis of medical records,” the study was published in the journal Therapeutic Advances in Respiratory Disease. Acthar Gel, marketed…

The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is launching a fundraising initiative to help improve treatment for advanced lung diseases, including sarcoidosis. The fundraising effort — called the Lung Health Research Accelerator Fund — aims to generate a total $20 million for the creation of a new research…

Rare disease-themed videos glowed on a large screen before an audience of people in wheelchairs, with crutches, and bearing oxygen tanks this Nov. 9 and 10 in San Francisco. Disorder: The Rare Disease Film Festival strives to eventually host a film about every one of the nearly 7,000 rare…