Developmental Drugs: Hearing Loss Prevention & Cures of the Future

The concept of a pill that prevents or even cures certain kinds of hearing loss sounds futuristic – but it is not as far into the future as you might think. By 2020, the reality of drug-based cures and preventative measures for hearing loss may be a reality. Currently, five drugs are in the final stages of clinical testing, and at least thirteen more are being developed. 

Past attempts at developing drug-based treatments for hearing loss have largely failed, mostly due to the difficulty of accessing the delicate structures of the inner ear for research and drug application. Meanwhile, despite of recent advancements, other hearing loss treatments are still less than ideal. Hearing aids improve sound volume and quality, but cannot restore it perfectly; cochlear implants are expensive and require surgery. Needless to say, these pioneering drugs are eagerly anticipated by the professional and public sectors alike. 

Here is a breakdown of a few of the drugs and what their preliminary trials show promise of delivering:

• D-methionine.  A natural micronutrient found in dairy products, D-methionine’s pre-clinical trials indicate it may reverse noise-induced hearing loss if administered within seven hours of the damage. It’s currently being tested by South Illinois School of Medicine and the Department of Defense, with the help of soldiers at a firing range in Fort Jackson, South Carolina. If proven successful, this drug could have direct implications for hearing loss among the military (roughly 800,000 veterans receive treatment for hearing-related issues), as well as in other sectors where loud noises are an occupational hazard.
• Ebselen. This man-made compound developed by Seattle-based Sound Pharmaceuticals blocks the oxidation (damaging) process believed to destroy hair cells in the inner ear. So far the drug is indicating a 60% success rate and works as fast as few hours. Sound is specifically designing the drug to prevent hearing damage from certain chemotherapy drugs and antibiotics.
• AM-111 & 101. AM-111, a gel-form drug being developed by Auris Medical, is potentially the first capable of repairing acute hearing loss.  When applied within 48 hours of the damaging event, the drug has shown some success in inhibiting the stress enzyme that causes damage to fragile hair cells and neurons. AM-101, in earlier stages of development, is designed to alleviate the symptoms of tinnitus.
• Atoh1. This product of genetic engineering developed by GenVec and sponsored by Novartis is an example of the use of gene therapy as a treatment for hearing loss.
• Oricula Therapeutics is investigating a potential treatment for age-related hearing loss.
• Autifony Therapeutics is in the early stages of developing a pill that could improve the brain’s ability to interpret auditory nerve signals by stimulating neurons to fire properly.
• Other drugs are being developed to treat related hearing conditions such as Meniere’s disease.

With many promising drug therapies on the horizon, those who suffer from hearing damage will have more alternatives for treatment. At the same time, substances able to prevent damage to un-regenerative hair cells will further reinforce recommended hearing protection measures.