New therapeutic approach for the treatment of sarcoidosis

A research team led by Georg Stary (Medical University of Vienna and CeMM) has identified a new approach to treating the inflammatory disease sarcoidosis. In a clinical study, the inhibition of a specific signaling pathway showed clear success in the treatment of granulomas in the skin. This opens up new therapeutic paths for sarcoidosis and similar inflammatory diseases. The results were recently published in the journal Lancet Rheumatology. Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease that is difficult to treat and affects around 15 to 20 out of every 100,000 people. In this disease, tiny clusters of inflammatory cells called granulomas form in the affected organs. These granulomas can affect normal tissue and lead to inflammation and fibrosis, which ultimately limits the functionality of affected organs.