aTyr Pharma has received positive feedback from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in a meeting to discuss the regulatory development of its lead candidate, efzofitimod (ATYR1923), for the treatment of pulmonary sarcoidosis. After a review of data provided by aTyr, including results from a recently completed…

Navigating children, a spouse, and pets in one house is hard, especially when we’re all there at the same time. Sometimes we’re together all day. If someone told me this could happen 20 years ago, I’d have called them a liar and it a deal breaker. I couldn’t imagine that…

The Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR) is now accepting applications for fellowships supporting early career clinicians and researchers focused on sarcoidosis. The deadline is March 15, the foundation announced. The two-year grants will provide a total of $150,000 to selected fellows, with…

As I type this, I have 13 tabs open in my browser. I’ve been working on advocacy campaigns for the Arthritis Foundation and the RareAction Network, preparing for Rare Disease Week meetings with my members of Congress, reading other perspectives on Rare Disease Day, checking three different email addresses,…

Sometimes when I awake in the morning, I’m afraid of what the day may bring. Then, when I retire for the evening, I’ll take my tablet with me to bed to read or listen to jazz. But just when I’m ready to call it a night, a feeling of…

The Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR) has introduced a new online support group for those with chronic sarcoidosis. The peer-led group, created in response to patient feedback received last year, opens with a six-month schedule that began this month. Patients and caregivers can participate each month in one…

I’ve been learning the hard way that recovery from COVID-19 is in some ways reminiscent of dealing with sarcoidosis. After being diagnosed with COVID-19 in early January, quickly obtaining monoclonal antibodies to aid in my recovery, and then completing a 20-day isolation period due to my immunocompromised state,…

Poorer lung function and a higher body mass index (BMI), a measure indicating obesity, are significantly associated with a lower self-reported quality of life in people with sarcoidosis, a German study found. Of note, the tool used to assess quality of life — called the King’s Sarcoidosis Questionnaire or…

In late 2012, Rhonda Underhill started having headaches and extreme fatigue. She attributed it to the long hours she was working as a general manager for a small business in Maryland. Rhonda Underhill (Courtesy of The Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research) After rounds of MRIs, misdiagnoses,…

Yesterday, my doctor cleared me to return to the office, effectively ending my COVID-19 isolation. After testing positive more than two weeks ago, and feeling quite sluggish for several days beforehand, yesterday’s at-home test came back negative. What a relief. Thankfully, as I previously mentioned, I was able…