Episode 9: Healing Hearing, Silencing Tinnitus? — Hough Ear Institute

Hi everybody!

Tinnitus Talk spoke with the Hough Ear Institute, a non-profit research organization that focusses on restoring hearing. They are working on two hearing regeneration treatments that could very well have benefits for tinnitus sufferers. The idea for this podcast episode came about due to our very active thread on Hough.

In this episode, we spoke with Dr. Richard Kopke and Justin DeMoss. They explain the mechanisms behind their treatments and how hearing restoration can be achieved. They take us through the different phases of research and development required to get new drugs to market, and some of the challenges faced along the way. Of course, we also touch on the topic of whether restoring hearing could cure tinnitus.

The episode includes an announcement about an exciting new partnership with pharmaceutical company Oblato to take Hough’s hearing loss pill through the next phases of clinical trial and assess its potential for tinnitus.

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Listen on:

• Tinnitus Talk Podcast (incl. timestamps and transcript)
  
• SoundCloud
  
• iTunes
  
• Spotify

We welcome any discussion, but please keep the following in mind when commenting:

• Off-topic comments, i.e. not directly responding to the content of the podcast, will be removed. So please do listen before commenting!
• While we welcome constructive criticism on ideas or policies, we do not tolerate direct attacks on individuals.

Tinnitus Talk would like to thank the folks from Hough for taking the time to speak with us and engage directly with the tinnitus community.

We also thank our Patreon supporters for making this podcast possible. You can become one too for only 2 dollars per month! It means a lot to us that 49 listeners have already chosen to support our volunteer efforts.

This episode was produced, as usual, by @Markku and @Hazel. @Autumnly also applied her editing skills, so a big thank you to her. Do you want to join our team as well? Let us know!

Don't forget to:

• Send Ideas and Suggestions for Future Podcast Episodes
• Submit Your Questions for Confirmed Podcast Guests

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FIRE TITLE I'M 1 SECOND IN LETS GOOOOO

AHHH PHASE 2... EPIC!!!!! Shoutout Oblato (?)!!!

 

Wow, will check it out! Thank you TTalk and all!!

 

Thank you so much to everyone involved! That was an awesome interview to hear. It really highlights how much Hough Ear Institute cares about bringing an end to hearing disorders. I rewinded this part many times: "Phase 2 for the pill by 2020". I'll have to wait for the transcript to go full on ecstatic but man did that bring a smile to my face.

Godspeed.

 

I'll give this a listen on my way home. Glad to hear that progress is being made.

Great job, @Hazel and all the other volunteers.

 

Can we start a crowdfund for the $735,000 goal of opening up NHPN-1010 to an additional tinnitus experimental arm in phase 2, @Markku?

Is this essentially the correct verbiage, @Justin De Moss?

I’d gladly shell $50 or more for this.

I’d like to add a singular donation source like this to my brochure to deliver to veterans agencies.

 

Certainly looking forward to the future! I'm going to throw back sooo many Hough Pills and get my ears filled to the brim with FX-322 & OTO-413!

 

I thought we might run into a dreadful scenario where we’d have to get their backing. Maybe we should talk more about it on the next call. I still can’t post in the PM though.

 

It sounds like this would better replace OTO-413 but the only red flag for me is that the metabolism of humans is much slower than that of rats.

 

Yes, this has always been a concern of mine with these lab tests on rats. We have a very similar genetic makeup, but there are still many differences, and what works in rats doesn't always work as well or at all in humans. Also, aren't OTO-413 and the Hough Pill trying to repair the same kind of damage to nerves? So if OTO-413 fails, then perhaps the Hough Pill could accomplish the goal?

 

Exactly, yes. Intratympanic BDNF vs. NAC+regenerating systemic “nitrate”.

 

This is great news, we have a backup! Do you know if FX-322 has a competitor out there trying to target the same kind of cochlear damage?

 

Not any that target the same regenerative mechanisms, not even the one that’s mentioned in this podcast. Regain (Audion) kind of works the same way and might be released earlier but could also potentially deplete support cells which drugs like FX-322 would depend on. The IT drug they discussed in this podcast wouldn’t appear to be impeded by potential support cell depletion by Regain. I’m not well read on Regain though because I’m not sure if they’re going through FDA or EU or both regulatory agencies.

 

Hmm, so it sounds like it would have to be one or another that a person would receive. So if I understand what I have been reading correctly, the kinds of damage acoustic trauma inflicts is on the OHCs, IHCs, and the synapses. Is there anything else that you are aware of that gets damaged? It seems like the drugs coming out in the near future could be the full package for restoration.

I know I asked @FGG a similar question, I just wanted to get your opinion since you are quite knowledgeable as well.

 

Spiral ganglion neurons for tinnitus of cochlear origin, but this is unlikely because these are found to be largely in tact even in the profoundly deaf.

 

Wow, that is great to hear! Can't wait til' we both get fixed, man.

 

Unfortunately a big question mark exists in the role of IHC's and if OHC's are preferentially restored by drugs like Regain and FX-322. But I am confident that tinnitus of cochlear origin will one day be eradicated.

 

But if enough of the drug is administered and the ceiling is hit for restoring IHCs, won't the only thing left to restore be OHCs? I heard the drug is very safe and can be given in large doses. Thanks.

 

It’s not really clear in what proportion of IHC:OHC drugs like these restore. There are significantly fewer IHC’s to restore but that doesn’t mean that they will necessarily be “filled up” quicker. Check out the thread on FX-322 in the Research News section, we were actually just discussing this.

 

I think there should be a crowdfund too.

 

Really looking forward to the hyperacusis-friendly transcript.

 

Many thanks to you @Hazel, @Markku, @Autumnly and @Liz Windsor for the future transcript.

 

Based on the recent interview it sounds like the pill and injection will only address tinnitus caused by acoustic trauma. Please someone tell me otherwise. Those affected by other than acoustic trauma such as whiplash, ototoxins, etc., are hoping Hough Ear Institute’s discoveries will be expanded to help them as well.

Please tell me I am wrong that for now it only addresses acoustic trauma. I want to be wrong. Thank you.

 

When I first listened to the episode and I heard "49 patreon supporters", I was like "what?"

We're 9 episodes in and only 49 people had at least a dollar to give? As I'm writing this there are 58 patrons, which is better, but we are thousands of people here.

 

@Hazel I also support the podcast on Patreon, but I guess it doesn't appear because I used my other email.

I think the podcast is one of the best ideas for this community.