Could a pill to treat hearing loss be on the way?
Earlier this year, trials began on a new drug that aims to treat hearing loss and tinnitus. Developed in the UK, the drug known as AUT00063 has the potential to reduce the effects of age-related hearing loss and tinnitus by targeting a vital protein essential to the processing of sound.
This vital protein is Kv3, which helps form pores on the surface of nerve cells in the area of the brain connected to hearing. The tiny pores provide an access point for potassium to enter the nerve cells. This function is vital as potassium is essential to helping hearing signals pass between nerve cells.
Over time, Kv3 can decline or become damaged with age, which leads to difficulty understanding speech, and can cause tinnitus. Early tests on the drug showed improved hearing in older animals, while trials at University College London and the University of Southern Illinois discovered beneficial effects on tinnitus.
Across the UK, 11 hospitals embarked on a clinical trial of AUT00063 with around 150 patients. The trial was due to run for four weeks, and focus on patients who had experienced tinnitus for between six to 18 months.
Results of the trial have not been made public at this time.