Frequency Therapeutics — Hearing Loss Regeneration

This reminded me of a person who said her hyperacusis got so much better after CIs.

But from what I read, they avoid destroying your existing cochlear tissue as far as possible.
It always gets destroyed where electrodes are placed. They are attempting to preserve other areas by reducing inflammation as much as possible. That's one reason newer CIs sound better. They are shorter and preserve more natural low frequency hearing.
 
Will FX-322 also help those with congenital hearing loss? My hearing was very good until I was like 25, then it started to get worse over time.
I assume you mean genetic and not congenital since it was fine until 25. It would depend on your cause.

If you have hair cell loss and not a reason for continued destruction, I don't see why not. But it really depends on your specific cause.
 
Isn't it the case that most people theoretically should benefit from FX-322 and actually as a result not need what Rinri Therapeutics is working on since their medicine is for people with actual nerve issues and often this is not necessarily accompanied with hair cell loss?
They're also growing implantable hair cells, which is what I'm referring to. FX-322 should cover almost everyone's needs but it never hurts to have many working solutions for a problem or at least a backup.
 
How do you know if the support cells are there or not?
You don't. Support cells are very durable and stick around long after a hair cell has died. Support cells can still die if exposed to continuously loud noises or under other conditions. The general consensus is the less hearing loss you have the more support cells you'll likely still have, so as long as you don't have profound hearing loss you likely still have support cells.
 
Thought of the day:

- Frequency Therapeutics patents / pending patents for FX-322 include claims that the drug causes "progenitor cell activation" by causing an LGR5+ (progenitor) support cell to divide and produce a "hair cell" and "an LGR5+ support cell"

- They also separately claim that LGR5+ cells can just create more support cells.

Frequency Therapeutics has claimed that the population of new hair cells is 'self-limited' from Progenitor Cell Activation. Meaning, that FX-322 cannot create a greater population of hair cells than originally existed.

What they have not discussed, in reference to bullet #2, is whether progenitors can create more support cells than needed. Could this mean that progenitors could copy themselves, and 'fill gaps' where LGR5+ cells are missing entirely?
 
Thought of the day:

- Frequency Therapeutics patents / pending patents for FX-322 include claims that the drug causes "progenitor cell activation" by causing an LGR5+ (progenitor) support cell to divide and produce a "hair cell" and "an LGR5+ support cell"

- They also separately claim that LGR5+ cells can just create more support cells.

Frequency Therapeutics has claimed that the population of new hair cells is 'self-limited' from Progenitor Cell Activation. Meaning, that FX-322 cannot create a greater population of hair cells than originally existed.

What they have not discussed, in reference to bullet #2, is whether progenitors can create more support cells than needed. Could this mean that progenitors could copy themselves, and 'fill gaps' where LGR5+ cells are missing entirely?
But they have said that each support cell divides when activated to produce a new support cell and a hair cell. There should be no net increase in this case.
 
That's great @FGG. How would one be able to tell whether support cells are present? Do they die off the longer your tinnitus exists?
A researcher that I emailed told me support cells die after all inner and outer hair cells are lost and this occurs in the profound range (>90 dB) and only in those areas of the cochlea.
 
If they continue to show positive results, can they skip Phase 3 and directly launch FX-322 into the market?
If they get positive results in their Phase 2a clinical trials then they will definitely get Breakthrough Therapy status but we're not sure how much time gets shaven off once they get it.
 
Okay, thanks a lot, so it means that FX-322 could potentially be available by 2022.

Interesting.
Maybe. I feel like with the COVID-19 vaccine coming out so soon the FDA may show a lenient approach to FX-322. Remember there is no drug that can improve hearing but so far FX-322 has shown improvements with one dose. Both Frequency Therapeutics and the FDA will want FX-322 come out as soon as possible if it has a chance at improving someone's hearing.
 
You don't. Support cells are very durable and stick around long after a hair cell has died. Support cells can still die if exposed to continuously loud noises or under other conditions. The general consensus is the less hearing loss you have the more support cells you'll likely still have, so as long as you don't have profound hearing loss you likely still have support cells.
Thanks for your reply frpp. My tinnitus started three months ago, caused by COVID-19, along with hearing loss at 3-4 kHz as in the picture... I hope I at least saved the support cells.

Screenshot_2020-12-16-21-11-55-010_mobile.eaudiologia.jpg
 
How do we know if we have dormant hair cells in our cochlea?
A researcher that I emailed told me support cells die after all inner and outer hair cells are lost and this occurs in the profound range (>90 dB) and only in those areas of the cochlea.
I read somewhere that support hair cells depletion occur in the severe range, i.e. between 70 dB and 90 dB.
Thought of the day:

- Frequency Therapeutics patents / pending patents for FX-322 include claims that the drug causes "progenitor cell activation" by causing an LGR5+ (progenitor) support cell to divide and produce a "hair cell" and "an LGR5+ support cell"

- They also separately claim that LGR5+ cells can just create more support cells.

Frequency Therapeutics has claimed that the population of new hair cells is 'self-limited' from Progenitor Cell Activation. Meaning, that FX-322 cannot create a greater population of hair cells than originally existed.

What they have not discussed, in reference to bullet #2, is whether progenitors can create more support cells than needed. Could this mean that progenitors could copy themselves, and 'fill gaps' where LGR5+ cells are missing entirely?
I'm confused. Does it mean, say 4 kHz support hair cells, could divide and fill another frequency's hair cells?
 
It seems like there's been a ton of progress on this thread in the 2 years I've been gone. To sum it up:

- Frequency Therapeutics is still doing good
- They're expanding what they're going to treat
- Next update in March 2021

Can someone create a list of positive things about this thread so I can take a picture and update it when necessary? I'm determined to be positive through my new tinnitus spike.
 
I have a question about the new hair cells that are produced/grown. Did anyone notice in the pictures of the new hair cells they were zigzag or wavy and the original hairs were straight? I wonder if this would make a difference in the new hair cells' effectiveness.
 
They're also growing implantable hair cells, which is what I'm referring to. FX-322 should cover almost everyone's needs but it never hurts to have many working solutions for a problem or at least a backup.
This makes much more sense now, thanks. This too would be a wonderful outcome and actually also provide a good hybrid solution where appropriate.
 
I have good hearing up to 8000 Hz according to various audiograms. I have tinnitus with different tones and a very strong case of noxacusis.

Is it possible that I have profound hearing loss in frequencies above 8000 Hz? Could I have lost support cells in the high frequencies? How can I find out?
 
I have a question about the new hair cells that are produced/grown. Did anyone notice in the pictures of the new hair cells they were zigzag or wavy and the original hairs were straight? I wonder if this would make a difference in the new hair cells' effectiveness.
Remember that was with one dose of FX-322. Maybe additional doses of FX-322 will make new hair cells like the original but also allow it to penetrate deeper in the cochlear.
 
I have a question about the new hair cells that are produced/grown. Did anyone notice in the pictures of the new hair cells they were zigzag or wavy and the original hairs were straight? I wonder if this would make a difference in the new hair cells' effectiveness.
Can you post the picture you are referring to...
 
I have a question about the new hair cells that are produced/grown. Did anyone notice in the pictures of the new hair cells they were zigzag or wavy and the original hairs were straight? I wonder if this would make a difference in the new hair cells' effectiveness.
Are you referring to the Investor Deck?

https://investors.frequencytx.com/static-files/4ac687f2-04b5-4d23-ab23-daa7826cd1b0

Page 11 shows an example of a healthy cochlea (left) vs a damaged cochlea (right).
 
Is it possible that I have profound hearing loss in frequencies above 8000 Hz? Could I have lost support cells in the high frequencies? How can I find out?
Yes, it is. To find out you need what's called an extended audiogram.
 
I have a question about the new hair cells that are produced/grown. Did anyone notice in the pictures of the new hair cells they were zigzag or wavy and the original hairs were straight? I wonder if this would make a difference in the new hair cells' effectiveness.
I used to be on this thread a couple of years ago and they've always grown back slightly odd. That doesn't mean they aren't fully functional. Especially due to the progress we've seen time and time again in their clinical trial phases. If they are confident in the functionality and longevity of the hair cells, then we don't have a reason to question it.

Really most questions here have been asked and researched multiple times before. I take the fact that this thread is still going to be a healthy sign of optimism. They aren't marketing a word recognition drug, so it must mean they're seeing positive results in people's hearing as well.

Maybe it'd benefit us to look for evidence stating that hair cells shaped that way aren't functional.
 
I believe she's referring to this OTO-6XX slide from Otonomy's presentation.

View attachment 42173
That makes sense. I have seen that before for OTO-6xx.

Otonomy's drug is for severe to very severe hearing loss. These are much more damaged cochleas to begin with.

I don't recall Frequency Therapeutics posting anything like that. The only mention of histology at all that I can recall was to say it looked normal on the Tinnitus Talk Podcast.
 
I used to be on this thread a couple of years ago and they've always grown back slightly odd. That doesn't mean they aren't fully functional. Especially due to the progress we've seen time and time again in their clinical trial phases. If they are confident in the functionality and longevity of the hair cells, then we don't have a reason to question it.

Really most questions here have been asked and researched multiple times before. I take the fact that this thread is still going to be a healthy sign of optimism. They aren't marketing a word recognition drug, so it must mean they're seeing positive results in people's hearing as well.

Maybe it'd benefit us to look for evidence stating that hair cells shaped that way aren't functional.
Any chance you were looking at the Audion thread instead since it was much more active "a couple of years ago?"

Their histology did look a little off but that drug didn't really go anywhere (but their method is very different from Frequency Therapeutics').
 
I used to be on this thread a couple of years ago and they've always grown back slightly odd. That doesn't mean they aren't fully functional. Especially due to the progress we've seen time and time again in their clinical trial phases. If they are confident in the functionality and longevity of the hair cells, then we don't have a reason to question it.

Really most questions here have been asked and researched multiple times before. I take the fact that this thread is still going to be a healthy sign of optimism. They aren't marketing a word recognition drug, so it must mean they're seeing positive results in people's hearing as well.

Maybe it'd benefit us to look for evidence stating that hair cells shaped that way aren't functional.
Thank you for the response. It will be interesting to see the latest data from the trials.
 

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