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Symptomatic Sarcoidosis Treated with Acthar® Gel: Insights from a Physician-Reported Chart Review

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Real-world data on evolving treatment patterns of Acthar Gel, a Food and Drug Administration-approved therapy for patients with symptomatic sarcoidosis, have remained limited. This study described the characteristics of patients with symptomatic sarcoidosis treated with Acthar Gel, medication utilization patterns, and physicians’ assessments of the effects of Acthar Gel on patients’ health status. A prospectively designed medical chart review study with a predefined protocol and analysis plan was conducted in November 2024, with data abstracted from patient records between April 2022 and November 2024. Eligible patients were aged ≥ 18 years, had symptomatic sarcoidosis, and had received Acthar Gel within ≤ 24 months. On average, patients with symptomatic sarcoidosis were 47 years old; most were men (56%, 22/39) and African American (46%, 18/39). Common comorbidities included chronic joint disease, hypertension, and arthritis/osteoarthritis. Before receiving Acthar Gel, physicians reported that 56% (22/39) of patients had a fair-to-poor health status (average rating 3.4/5, where 1 = excellent and 5 = poor). Frequent symptoms were fatigue, joint pain, and muscle aches or weakness. Before initiating Acthar Gel, most patients with symptomatic sarcoidosis had previously received treatment with corticosteroids (82%, 32/39), immunosuppressive drugs (51%, 20/39), and biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (51%, 20/39). Based on physician assessment, 92% (36/39) of patients experienced improved health after Acthar Gel treatment. Improvements included reduced overall symptoms (69%, 25/36), improved physical function (47%, 17/36), decreased pain (44%, 16/36), improved fatigue (36%, 13/36), reduced corticosteroid use (33%, 12/36), improved lung functioning (25%, 9/36), and improved strength (22%, 8/36). Based on this chart review, Acthar Gel may represent a potential treatment option for selected patients with symptomatic sarcoidosis. In this study, among patients with symptomatic sarcoidosis treated with Acthar Gel, physicians documented reduced overall symptoms, improved physical function, decreased pain, improved fatigue, reduced corticosteroid use, improved lung functioning, and improved strength using prespecified assessments. This study focuses on the use of Acthar Gel, an FDA-approved treatment for symptomatic sarcoidosis, to evaluate its effectiveness and how it fits into current treatment patterns. Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease that primarily impacts the lungs and can lead to various symptoms, including fatigue and joint pain. Despite being commonly treated with corticosteroids, there is a need for alternative therapies like Acthar Gel, especially given the potential for harmful effects from long-term steroid use. Conducted between April and November 2024, this research involved a review of medical charts from 39 patients with symptomatic sarcoidosis, all of whom received Acthar Gel within the past 2 years. The average patient was aged 47 years, and most were men (56%); 46% identified as African American. Many patients had two or more conditions such as chronic joint disease and hypertension. Before starting Acthar Gel, most patients were considered to be in fair-to-poor health, with significant symptoms including fatigue and joint pain. Notably, after treatment with Acthar Gel, 92% of patients saw improvements in their health. Improvements included reduced symptoms, increased physical function, decreased pain, improved fatigue, and a reduced need for corticosteroids. In conclusion, the study suggests that Acthar Gel may be a treatment option for patients with symptomatic sarcoidosis. The results indicate enhanced health outcomes and symptom relief for those undergoing this therapy, highlighting the potential of Acthar Gel as an alternative to conventional treatment methods. Overall, this research adds real-world insights into the management of symptomatic sarcoidosis.

Source: Pulmonary Therapy

DOI: 10.1007/s41030-026-00344-3