Reverse Deafness: One injection re -hearing within weeks

“This is a big step forward in deaf genetic therapy, which can be viable for children and adults,” says Molly Duan, the consultant and study employees.

The study included ten patients between the ages of 1 and 24 in five hospitals in China, all of whom have a genetic form of deafness or severe hearing impairment caused by mutations in a gene called OotOF. These mutations cause ototerlin deficiency, which plays an important role in transferring auditory signals from ear to the brain.

Impact within a month

The genetic therapy is included using a virus -linked virus (AAV) to present a functional version of the XOF gene to the inner ear through one injection through a membrane at the cochlea base called the round window.

The effect of genetic therapy was quickly and most patients regained some hearing after only one month. Follow -up for six months showed a significant hearing improved in all participants, which is the average concrete volume that improves 106 dB to 52.

Best results in children

The younger patients, especially those between the ages of five and eight, responded better for treatment. One of the participants, a seven -year -old girl, quickly recovered, and she was able to take daily talks with her mother after four months. However, treatment has also proven effective in adults.

“Smaller studies in China have previously demonstrated positive results in children, but this is the first time that the method has been tested in adolescents and adults as well.” “Hearing has been significantly improved in many participants, which can have a profound impact on the quality of their lives. We will now follow up these patients to see the continued effect.”

There are no serious negative reactions

The results also showed that the treatment was safe and good. The most common negative reaction was a decrease in the number of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell. No serious negative reactions were reported in the follow -up period from 6 to 12 months.

“Ootop is just the beginning,” says Dr. Duan. “We and other researchers expand our work to other most common genes that cause deafness, such as GJB2 and TMC1. This is more complicated by treatment, but animal studies have yet returned to promising results. We are confident that patients with different types of genetic deafness will one day be able to receive treatment.”

The study was conducted in cooperation with a number of institutions, including Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, China, and was funded by many Chinese research program and Ottovia Therapics Inc. , The company that has developed genetic therapy and that employs many researchers participating in the study.