Team Trobalt Update — April 9, 2015

[Tinnitus Talk]

Message From Team Trobalt

As members of this forum may be aware we, Team Trobalt, have been in contact with a number of researchers in relation to the petition to the ATA (there is a thread by the same name, see: www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/retigabine-trobalt-potiga-%E2%80%94-petition-to-the-ata.6896). Besides TRI, Team Trobalt continues to remain in contact with a group of researchers in the United States who are conducting research into pharmacological approaches for the treatment of tinnitus. The expert within the team of researchers is Prof. Ernest J. Moore:

http://speechandhearing.unt.edu/people/faculty/moore
http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ernest_Moore2

The team of researchers has been kind to share a few insights of their focus areas with us. Since tinnitus research often receives little "publicity", we would like to take the opportunity to share a couple of those details with the tinnitus community in a message of awareness. Below, a few facts therefore from Prof. Moore (and colleagues) on their current research initiatives:

We would reiterate that our contributions lie within three spheres of research activity: (1) Our basic science research consisting of in vitro recordings of tinnitus-like activity, and the re-purposing of drugs to minimize increased neuronal activity and bursting phenomenon, (2) Our basic science in vivo experimentation using the zebrafish as an experimental model for tinnitus-like activity, and (3) The use of fMRI imaging protocols with humans suffering from tinnitus by employing re-purposed or over-the-counter supplements in an attempt to alleviate tinnitus. Thus, as regards the latter, we have already in place the basic milieu to continue to test the efficacy of Trobalt (Retigabine). Fundamental to our basic and translational research activities is a comprehensive Tinnitus Clinic as part of our UNT Speech and Hearing Center that evaluates patients suffering from tinnitus, and make recommendation for treatment.

Team Trobalt finds the work of this team of professors particularly interesting as their research involves looking for possible pharmacological treatments using existing drugs on the market. The implication of this approach is that a treatment can potentially be made available much sooner (as compared with a new drug candidate). This would include - as an example - a clinical test of Trobalt (Retigabine).

The in vitro efficacy of Trobalt (and three other drugs) has already been evaluated by the team of researchers in a recently released paper. The paper is now available for free and in its entirety at:

www.researchgate.net/publication/261220232_Pharmacodynamics_of_posstassium_channel_openers_in_cultured_neuronal_networks

Prof. Moore has previously given interviews, and although some of them are from a few years ago, the content is still very much relevant:

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2008-07-06/features/0806300354_1_tinnitus-sufferers-noise

Prof. Moore's research on zebrafish - as mentioned in the article - is likewise available online:

www.researchgate.net/publication/260370118_Kcnq1-5_%28Kv7.1-5%29_potassium_channel_expression_in_the_adult_zebrafish

In our experience, two observations seem to describe tinnitus research accurately:

1. The research often receives little attention from the public.
2. The research is often underfunded.

For the above two reasons, Team Trobalt will therefore continue to liaise with various scientists conducting pharmacological research of tinnitus in order to promote awareness and share interesting developments. We also aim to investigate funding initiatives at some point (more on this later on).

Team Trobalt
09/APR/2015.