Inner Ear Hair Cell Regeneration — Maybe We Can Know More

[rsmcfar]

It's been said before, but all we need is money and luck.

 

[tomytl]

A new player in town:

Today Decibel Therapeutics from Boston got 52 million to develops it's candiates for
Protect/Repair/Restore

The good thing, founders are top notch researchers in the field.

http://decibeltx.com/
http://decibeltx.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Decibel-Launch-PR-FINAL-for-101515.pdf

The money comes from:
http://www.thirdrockventures.com/

 

[Carlos1]

this news brings us again a little glimmer of hope
I pray that something good comes out of this research
God bless

 

[tomytl]

it seems, that inner ear research get's more and more focus in the last few days:
John Hopkins launch center for hearing restoration.
http://hub.jhu.edu/2015/10/13/rubenstein-gift-to-department-of-otolaryngology

 

[markoana]

A new player in town:

Today Decibel Therapeutics from Boston got 52 million to develops it's candiates for
Protect/Repair/Restore

The good thing, founders are top notch researchers in the field.

http://decibeltx.com/
http://decibeltx.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Decibel-Launch-PR-FINAL-for-101515.pdf

The money comes from:
http://www.thirdrockventures.com/

From their statement "Hearing loss and tinnitus represent the two most prevalent U.S. military service connected disabilities, resulting in approximately $2 billion in annual compensation payments by the federal government."

To prevent 2 billion compensation, they give just 52 million. (Of course better than nothing) But it is not enough, they simply need to invest more and more, this is good sign!

 

[tomytl]

Genvec/Novartis News

http://www.bizjournals.com/washingt...eturns-to-hearing-loss-research-with-new.html

 

[rsmcfar]

What does this imply about the ongoing cgf-166 trial?

 

[Ricardo AM]

It has GenVec CEO Doug Swirsky thinking big for the year ahead.
"We think 2016 will be a transformative year for us because we're finally free to return to the hearing and balance space," said Swirsky. "Gene therapy is really going through a renaissance right now."


Hope so!
I´ll pray for this to happen soon....

Thanks for the news @tomytl / have a great 2016!

 

[tomytl]

Soundpharmaceuticals with a completly new website and many new information about their
current pipeline:
http://soundpharma.com/

 

[tomytl]

Hi,
I checked back what's happend with Hough Ear / Otologic Pharmacuticals / concerning their regenerative programm. I found a third player called Accele Bio Pharma...
They expect clinical trials in late 2017.
Unfortunately not much more info about their approach, maybe someone knows more?

http://accelebio.com/otologic-pharm...tion-technology-from-the-hough-ear-institute/

 

[Reinier]

quote from Hough Ear Institute.
Regenerating these delicate inner ear sensory cells in the cochlea has been thought impossible by some, but in our lab, which is one of only a handful of labs working on this problem, we believe we have found a way to do it.
End quote.

I always fantasised about a quote like "we believe we have found a way to do it" or something similar.
But who knows perhaps....
Another one to check out every now an than. Which is good!

 

[Sailboardman]

quote from Hough Ear Institute.
Regenerating these delicate inner ear sensory cells in the cochlea has been thought impossible by some, but in our lab, which is one of only a handful of labs working on this problem, we believe we have found a way to do it.
End quote.

I always fantasised about a quote like "we believe we have found a way to do it" or something similar.
But who knows perhaps....
Another one to check out every now an than. Which is good!

Like in the movie "Young Frankenstein," when he finds his father's book entitled, "How I did it." };-)

 

[tomytl]

It's about 1 y/o but very interesting article about hair cell regeneration technology. Here we see, many researchers doing incredible things.
http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2014/11/toward-genetic-editing/

 

[briano]

http://hearinghealthfoundation.org/blog?blogid=177

 

[Reinier]

I am confused now.
In the article that @briano refers to it is mentioned that:
quote:
NT3 is crucial to the body's ability to form and maintain connections between hair cells and nerve cells
End quote.

I keep reading in other articles that most likely the majority of hearing loss, T and H are because of loss of these hair cells. Especially NIHL and some medicine will kill the hair-cells.
Does this not imply that: if there are no hair-cells this NT3 is not efficacious.

 

[Nucleo]

I keep reading in other articles that most likely the majority of hearing loss, T and H are because of loss of these hair cells. Especially NIHL and some medicine will kill the hair-cells.
Does this not imply that: if there are no hair-cells this NT3 is not efficacious.

I do not know what you have been reading but I suggest look at articles about ''hidden hearing loss''. It is now thought that tinnitus and hyperacusis may not come from damage to the hair cells but rather to the nerve connections in between those and the brain.

The proposed mechanism of action of AM-101 aims to treat this specific kind damage.

 

[Reinier]

I do not know what you have been reading but I suggest look at articles about ''hidden hearing loss''. It is now thought that tinnitus and hyperacusis may not come from damage to the hair cells but rather to the nerve connections in between those and the brain.

I read it at Harvard, Stanford websites, Hearing Health foundation, Action on Hearing loss etc..
Most of all it was considered sensational news that birds, chickens and fish where able to regrow lost hair-cells and for this reason where able to restore NIHL.
I see a lot of images where hair cells are destroyed because of NIHL. Also there is still a lot of talk about restoring hearing (and T and H) by regenerating hair cells in the cochlea.

Could these ribbon synapses mentioned in the article be "easier" to repair though. Easier than regenerating hair-cells? I kinda hope that the hair cells in my cochleas are still intact. But this is based on a feeling because there is no why to know which will be the worse option in future "regeneration".

But I will read the articles you mentioned too. I am keen to learn/understand about this subject

Also if AM-101 is targeting this damage does this imply that AM-101 could improve NIHL?

 

[Nick Pyzik]

I read it at Harvard, Stanford websites, Hearing Health foundation, Action on Hearing loss etc..
Most of all it was considered sensational news that birds, chickens and fish where able to regrow lost hair-cells and for this reason where able to restore NIHL.
I see a lot of images where hair cells are destroyed because of NIHL. Also there is still a lot of talk about restoring hearing (and T and H) by regenerating hair cells in the cochlea.

Could these ribbon synapses mentioned in the article be "easier" to repair though. Easier than regenerating hair-cells? I kinda hope that the hair cells in my cochleas are still intact. But this is based on a feeling because there is no why to know which will be the worse option in future "regeneration".

But I will read the articles you mentioned too. I am keen to learn/understand about this subject

Also if AM-101 is targeting this damage does this imply that AM-101 could improve NIHL?

With NIHL there is almost always damage to the neural aspect of the inner ear. The damage subsides to the spiral ganglion cells that are like the main connection between the synapse that is connected to the hair cells and the other side of the nerve that travels into the brain.

That's why people get tinnitus and hyperacusis with NIHL. The loss of the synapse connection causes the brain to turn up its gain so that it can try and hear like it did before. It also results in the sound we hear with tinnitus since there's no connection with the organized nerve that continues through the brain.

I think both restoring hair cells and transplanting neurons into inner ears will both cure hearing loss. Hair cells for hearing frequency loss and neurons for tinnitus and hyperacusis to restore the connection lost from damage.

 

[Reinier]

I think both restoring hair cells and transplanting neurons into inner ears will both cure hearing loss. Hair cells for hearing frequency loss and neurons for tinnitus and hyperacusis to restore the connection lost from damage.

Thanks.
I too did read that both hair cells and neurons could be damaged/dead. Than I understand why hair cell regeneration is still important in the principle of repairing after NIHL.

 

[tomytl]

This newly founded company has also an interesting approach.
Auricyte LLC
http://news.iu.edu/releases/2015/09/Ear-in-a-dish-IU-startup-auricyte-innovation-showcase.shtml

 

[Eltel]

All this research is good news

 

[Alue]

Thanks.
I too did read that both hair cells and neurons could be damaged/dead. Than I understand why hair cell regeneration is still important in the principle of repairing after NIHL.

This is true. In fact, it's possible damage the connection between the hair cell and the auditory nerve while the hair cell remains in tact. You can damage the hair cell or the connection or both.

 

[Nick Pyzik]

This is true. In fact, it's possible damage the connection between the hair cell and the auditory nerve while the hair cell remains in tact. You can damage the hair cell or the connection or both.

What type of treatment do you think should be made to try and fix the damaged auditory nerve?

 

[Alue]

What type of treatment do you think should be made to try and fix the damaged auditory nerve?

I don't know. Promote neurite outgrowth maybe. This is far from my expertise, I've just been doing reading and self research since my T started.

 

[Zorro!]

I don't know. Promote neurite outgrowth maybe. This is far from my expertise, I've just been doing reading and self research since my T started.

I think the first break thru will probably be something along these lines.

 

[Reinier]

Before all this there needs to be an accurate way to determine what exactly is damaged and to what extend. Therefore I can understand that this "ear in a dish" technology could be very helpful.
Imagen this: in the distant future we could have a biological microphone.

 

[newarrior]

Thanks to everyone ! WOW !

 

[tomytl]

beside the term " decades away" it sounds very promising

http://www.industrialdeafnesscompensation.co.uk/cure-for-deafness/

 

[tomytl]

One more biotech with a hearing loss programm in the pipeline, I guess it' s reatherly new, because years ago they already has a programm for acute hearing loss, but it was dropped from the program

http://quarkpharma.com/?page_id=25

 

[Reinier]

beside the term " decades away" it sounds very promising

I agree. Decades is a long time. I would be thrilled though if there is prove that it works for humans in a first clinical trial. Not only for other mammals in laboratories. That is why I was so disappointed that the Genvec/Novartis clinical trial was paused.

I like these quotes from the article:
"as the race to find a cure for deafness gathers speed"
"The research organisation that finds a commercially viable cure for deafness is sitting on a potential goldmine."
End quotes.
And another one I never heard from is Quark.
The more the merrier.