Decibel Therapeutics

Welcome to the general discussion of Decibel Therapeutics advancements on Tinnitus Talk!

This company is starting to pick up momentum as of lately and myself along with many others are very excited for their advancements regarding research, drug applications targeting hearing loss, tinnitus and noise induced pain, in this general we are going to follow the company's updates to keep the forum organized.

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Official Website, Twitter and Postal Address-
https://decibeltx.com/

https://twitter.com/decibeltx

Address: 1325 Boylston St Suite 500, Boston, MA 02215

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Information about the company and their goals-
https://decibeltx.com/about-us/

-Decibel Therapeutics is a hearing company focused on discovering and developing new medicines to protect, repair and restore hearing.

-Decibel is translating cutting-edge science into hearing therapeutics to create a world in which the benefits and joys of hearing are available to all.

-Recent scientific advances, including those by Decibel's founders, have provided insights into the link between hearing dysfunction and inner ear pathology and pathogenesis. These discoveries have defined potential new therapeutic targets for the treatment of multiple types of hearing disorders. Decibel is consolidating the science, tools and technology into a unique and comprehensive hearing drug discovery and development platform, the first of its kind. Decibel will leverage this platform to discover and develop a series of breakthrough therapies targeted to specific indications with substantial unmet needs.

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Updates-
https://decibeltx.com/news-and-events/

October 15 2015
Third Rock Ventures Launches Decibel Therapeutics with $52 Million Series A Financing to Discover New Medicines to Protect, Repair and Restore Hearing

December 16 2015
Decibel Therapeutics Appoints Jeff Jonas, M.D., CEO of SAGE Therapeutics, to its Board of Directors

July 13 2016
https://www.decibeltx.com/decibel-t...man-as-president-and-chief-executive-officer/

August 4th 2016
Decibel Therapeutics to Open New Headquarters and Laboratories in The Fenway

September 7th 2016
Decibel Therapeutics Expands Leadership Team

November 1st 2016
Decibel Therapeutics Assembles World-Class Scientific Advisory Board

January 18 2017
Decibel Therapeutics Expands Leadership Team With World-Class Bioinformatics Scientist; Appoints Three New Members to its Board of Director

February 13th 2017
Decibel Therapeutics Presents at 2017 Annual Association for Research in Otolaryngology (ARO) Meeting

May 17th 2017
Decibel Therapeutics Opens New Headquarters and The Fenway’s First Lab

July 6th 2017
Decibel Therapeutics Announces Investment from GV to Expand Capabilities for Biological Target Identification in Hearing Loss and Tinnitus

November 29th 2017
Regeneron and Decibel Therapeutics Announce Strategic Collaboration to Discover and Develop Therapeutics for Hearing Loss and Tinnitus

February 9th 2018
Decibel Therapeutics Presents at 2018 Annual Association for Research in Otolaryngology (ARO) Meeting

June 19 2018
Decibel Therapeutics Closes $55 Million Series C Financing

August 2 2018
Decibel Therapeutics Research on The Role of Molecular Diversity in Neurons Critical for Hearing Published in Cell

September 27th 2018
Decibel Therapeutics and Oricula Therapeutics Announce Exclusive License for ORC-13661 in Phase 1 Development for Hearing and Balance Protection

January 7th 2019
Decibel Therapeutics and Cocoon Biotech Announce Collaboration to Develop Proprietary Formulations for Delivery of Medicines to the Inner Ear

February 5, 2019
Decibel Therapeutics Bolsters Leadership Team with Appointments of Chief Medical Officer and Chief Operating Officer

February 6, 2019
Decibel Therapeutics to Present at the Association for Research in Otolaryngology (ARO) Conference

 

It would be awesome if this company would form an information sharing partnership with Frequency Therapeutics and get a huge government grant.

 

They still technically have no drugs in their pipeline. Just an investigational drug to combat ototixicity. Decibel is a very long way off from making an impact.

All this money, all these partnerships, and not even a phase 1 drug of any sorts.

I appreciate their efforts toward research, but they’re not even in the game right now.

 

I talked to the moderation and they agreed this type of thread is a good way to keep everything organized for future events regarding Decibel. All the important info will probably be updated in a separate tab and info about the researchers like Professor Liberman and a short description of hidden hearing loss etc to get an idea of their targeted goals.

That way this thread won't turn out as a jumbled mess like some other research threads following companies.

Anyone will be able to discuss what they think about the company and speculate while all the crucial information will be viewable on a tab on the top of the page so there won't be repetitive questions.

Organization is key!

 

@Contrast, sorry if I misread. But you said that hair cell regeneration is useless right? Wouldn’t you think that scientists know this, and if so why is frequency therapeutics still a thing?

 

You totally misquoted me, I never said hair cell regeneration was useless for everyone. I said if hearing loss is not shown on the tonal audiogram such as "hearing loss in competing noise environments" then hair cell regeneration will not solve that problem as it has more to do with hair cells losing synaptic ribbons, not hair cells dying.

If you have trouble hearing in background noise or complex music you need new ribbon synapses, if you can't hear a high pitch noise you need new hair cells (and ribbon synapses).

Also this is not on topic with the thread.

 

Okay, I didn’t mean to attack you, it’s just something I remember you said. So essentially hair cell regeneration is only a piece of the puzzle

 

Won't these new hair cells also have ribbon synapses that can cover up for the lost synapses in the other hair cells? That's why I think it could fix both types of hearing loss at once.

 

I was flirting with that idea in the past, there's many post of me asking that question, but I don't think so.

Frequency Therapeutics method showed new hair cells came with new AN+synapses, but it does not mention repairing damaged ones.

 

Is it possible to donate to decibel therapeutics? It doesn't seem so. Or perhaps any other legit companies..

 

Not the private companies unless you have a couple million and want to be an investor. Stanford cure for hearing loss is a good one if you are looking to give. The hearing health foundation is another one. Their research and findings get distributed to all of these companies to help them further their research. I have contributed to both.

 

You can donate to Mass Eye and Ear and mention Professor Liberman's work on hidden hearing loss and noise induced pain and it will go to Decibel coincidentally.

 

Thanks, I’ll look into it. I just don’t want to donate to memes like ATA.

 

What do you suggest I say? Just something like I want my donation to go to Charles liberman’s research at decibel therapeutics?

 

Hyperacusis Research also can be a good way to direct funds. They are a small non-profit charity in the Boston area located near Charlie Liberman and Harvard Medical School, and a good amount of their grant money has gone toward Charlie's research lab.

Hyperacusis Research has no salary expense and no office expense. Almost all funding goes to toward direct research grants.

https://hyperacusisresearch.org/

 

Thank you. But do they also focus on fixing hearing loss? I ask because I think that fixing hearing loss would also fix tinnitus and hyperacusis, but fixing hyperacusis does not fix hearing loss and tinnitus.

 

They focus primarily on hyperacusis, from their mission statement below. They are a small organization, all funding comes from donor contributions. A post on their Facebook feed a month or so ago said they had raised $27,000 so far in 2018. So not much resources to have a more expansive mission.

https://hyperacusisresearch.org/mission/

Hyperacusis Research Limited, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity dedicated to the development of effective treatments for hyperacusis and to funding research which will eliminate the underlying mechanisms that cause hyperacusis.

Hyperacusis Research Limited, Inc. is dedicated to improving the quality of life for patients who suffer from hyperacusis and hyperacusis-related disorders. Central to the mission of the organization is facilitating and supporting biomedical research which will lead to novel, effective therapies for the treatment of hyperacusis. The activities of Hyperacusis Research Limited, Inc. are based on the belief that collaboration across disciplines is essential for better understanding of hyperacusis and for the development of effective treatments. Through its grant program Hyperacusis Research Limited, Inc. is supporting innovative research projects across borders and disciplines. Special emphasis is placed on collaboration and knowledge sharing between supported individuals and institutions.

 

That's the question we are waiting to find out, I personally think the answer is yes. (atleast in tinnitus's case)

 

Donated $200 to Mass Eye and Ear and mentioned Charles Liberman in the designation section. It’s peanuts in context, but who knows. May it make the difference

 

• Decibel hires new CMO ahead of proof-of-concept hearing loss studies 2/5/2019
• Decibel Therapeutics Bolsters Leadership Team with Appointments of Chief Medical Officer and Chief Operating Officer 2/5/2019

 

When did they update their webpage?? Looks much better, and tinnitus and hyperacusis is mentioned several times! That means their stated ambition is to fix tinnitus and hyperacusis.

Unfortunately DB-XX5 that targets tinnitus and hyperacusis specifically seems to be in the earliest stage. But still.
https://www.decibeltx.com/pipeline/

 

So it wouldn’t work for us anyways?

 

I hope it will work for all of us. Just that according to the pipeline it does not look like it will enter phase 1 soon. I anyway think FX-322 will fix things for most of us in 3 years.

 

I think DB-XX5 is for cochlear synaptopathy and tinnitus, not noxacusis (any thoughts?)

 

So, loudness hypeacusis but not pain hyperacusis...?

Too early to tell I guess. But Liberman has researched and talked a lot about pain hyperacusis so I'm guessing he has a plan for a cure.

 

Wow, 3 years?? I was thinking about 5, hopefully 3 years, sooner the better!

 

https://www.decibeltx.com/pipeline/

Their pipeline confirmed what I had been saying "that they are wasting too much time on ototoxity therapies and lab construction rather than focus on therapies that will benefit the most amount of people".

However it is nice to know after they get beaten to the market by competitors that they may provide one more alternative therapy for tinnitus.

 

https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/decibel-hires-new-cmo-ahead-proof-concept-hearing-loss-studies
Decibel Therapeutics has brought on a new chief medical officer as it plans to begin proof-of-concept and efficacy studies this year for its lead small molecule programs for hearing loss caused by drug toxicities.

The Boston-based company has tapped Peter Weber, M.D., head of otology and neurotology at Boston University Medical Center, and formerly CMO of Frequency Therapeutics. He will continue to practice part-time at BU while coming on board at Decibel.

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This was posted in the Frequency Therapeutics thread, but it belongs here as well.

Yeah I was also hoping they would have moved a bit faster than they are.

 

It's not just your hope that is concerning; with their glacial pace of development I could see a Chapter 7 for this company on the horizon.

 

Hearing loss has more to do with ribbon synapses than hair cells, this problem needs to be addressed.