I took a shower yesterday and then had a hard look at myself in the mirror. I didn’t like everything I saw. Later, I was helping my wife clean our living room and I saw a photo of my dad I had taken years ago. I didn’t like what I…

“You really should get that bump checked out.” It was September 2014, just after Labor Day, and a friend was pointing out the obvious. The bump, which I thought was just a rash, seemed to have no intention of going away. I didn’t think much of it at first, but…

A Phase 2 clinical trial investigating the inhaled sarcoidosis therapy aviptadil — also known as RLF-100, and designed to block inflammation in the lungs — has been cleared to start in Germany. The clearance by the German medical regulatory authority Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte (BfArM) was given to…

For those with sarcoidosis, one of the most challenging aspects of the disease is finding folks who are just like us. I’m not referring to race, gender, or any other characteristic that differentiates us as individuals. I’m talking about the things that make us the same. I’m talking about finding…

The other day, I sent a message to my rheumatologist asking about getting a third shot of the COVID-19 vaccine. It was 11 p.m. on a Sunday, but I had to send it before I forgot. A half-hour later, I received two notifications about a new message and a letter…

aTyr Pharma has announced a collaboration with The Ohio State University (OSU) to conduct cell culture studies seeking to identify potential biomarkers that can predict ATYR1923’s therapeutic effectiveness in people with pulmonary sarcoidosis. The research, which extends previous proof-of-concept findings, will delineate the pathways involved in sarcoid granuloma formation…

“Well, listen to your lungs.” Those were the first words from my doctor’s mouth, following his slight look of concern. It was early 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic began in the United States, and I had boldly (and perhaps foolishly) told him that I was running a half-marathon in…

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” — Matthew 5:8 In 2017, my life took a turn I never expected. When something blindsides us, especially when it involves our health, sometimes we can interpret it as just an interruption in our lives. But most often, it’ll…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted orphan drug designation to RLF-100 (aviptadil), Relief Therapeutics’ investigational inhaled therapy for sarcoidosis. Such status is given to treatment candidates with the potential to be safe and effective in rare diseases — defined in the U.S. as those affecting fewer…

No, not that one. The other day, I Fell and Fractured my Foot (though I admit I probably said the other F-word a few times when it happened). I sprained my ankle, too, just to make it more Fun. It was the Fifth metatarsal on the outer side of my…