Hough Ear Institute's Hair Cell Regeneration Project

Then nothing! You can try it out if you want then. I've tried a few supplements that haven't helped me much but not this one.

 

Wait is the pill Hough Ear Institute is working on only to prevent damage? Seems like it. Looks like it's nothing more than NAC wrapped with a pretty bow on top.

 

Unfortunately, D-Methionine is not available to the general public. All the research done on hearing was using D-Meth, not L-Meth. DL seems to be for pets only. If you want to take a deep dive, watch this video with Dr. Campbell who was in charge of the study. It's from 2011 and the audio is out of sync. She mentions @26:06 that D-Meth is safer and stays in the body longer than L-Meth.

SIU Tech Expo 2011: D-methionine (D-met) as a...

 

Except that they’re also saying it has the effect of repairing ribbon synapses.

 

I did scope out their publications... super.

You are right... they’ve got a lot of stuff going down... it's amazing they can’t come up with money... the Hearing Health Foundation could promote their cause. The Bill Gates Foundation could float them for the next decade...

It’s actually chump change they are after... I don’t get it...

Dark days... hope to see a flicker of light...

 

Wrong. It was shown to repair damage, and it's not only NAC in it. AND they're working on an injection as well to regrow hair cells.

 

We’re also gonna need something for regrowing spiral ganglion neurons. I believe Rinri’s stem cell drug is for that but honestly I find it hard to distinguish between those, ribbon synapses and the ‘auditory nerve’. Wish an ENT could explain it in laymen’s terms.

 

ENTs probably know less than you buddy

 

Is Rinri's drug even in pre-clinical phase??

 

Even with hair cell regeneration drugs?

 

Yes, if you don’t have any hair cell damage, but do have damaged spiral ganglion neurons. If you look at donated temporal bones of people with sudden hearing loss for example, some people were in that category. Most did have hair cell damage though.

 

It is. They’re hoping to get to Phase 1 within 5 years.

 

I don't understand the science, can you explain it to me?

My tinnitus is from ototoxic drugs (possibly stress too), which was then worsened by an MRI.

Where does this leave me?

 

I know right! However, it is not that easy, especially with patents and proprietary methods/compounds at stake. Biotech firms (for-profit) are interested in making money primarily. As they should - that is what has given us so much medicine. It is a good model. It is just frustrating for those of us that suffer while we wait for something to ease our suffering to get approved.

We are a non-profit. Our focus is on the mission, to restore hearing worldwide through research, education, and humanitarian efforts. Profits that are due to Hough Ear Institute go right back into research to help others suffering. That is the primary difference between us and many other outfits: we have the mission as our primary objective and bring in for-profit biotech firms to aid us in accomplishing that mission.

 

I honestly wouldn't know. I'm not a scientist or a doctor. However, that would be a great question when we get Dr. Rick Kopke on the Tinnitus Talk Podcast!

 

I work at the Hough Ear Institute.

 

Thank you and yes. That sums it up nicely.

Also, for your information and to keep in mind - I moved my family (wife and 7 kids) to OKC to advance the research. I'd like to think that I did that with a degree of understanding of and belief in the science and ultimate goal of commercialization.

 

Less than the cost of a single hearing aid!!!!

 

We are open to any route that leads to commercialization so we can bring relief to hundreds of millions of people around the world!

 

Caveat - I'm not a scientist. This is a great question and should be asked during the Tinnitus Talk Podcast.

That said, I believe your question is more related to our hearing loss injection technology, not the hearing loss pill.

The pill regenerates meaningful connections between the auditory nerve, the nerve endings, and the cochlea. Once those connections and re-established there isn't a need to continue the medicine. It may need to be taken again if there is additional trauma resulting in additional nerve damage.

 

Great question. You guys know more about the science that I do. I'm still learning. This would be a great question for the podcast - as I have no clue how to answer it !

 

Phase II will cost anywhere from $50-100 million. That said, once we get it through Phase II and we know it is safe AND that it is effective - more biotech firms will be interested in investing, licensing the tech, and pushing it through Phase III.

Our business model relies on contributions for the initial research and Phase I, possibly Phase II clinical studies then a commercialization partner to take it through Phase II possibly, and Phase III clinical studies.

 

We have reached out and we have received funding. Our latest government grant was the only one approved by the DoD and funded out of over 70 applicants.

The challenge is that government funding is slow!!!!! Our research has outpaced government funding.

 

Maybe you just need some more coffee You want publications? Ok, here you go: https://houghear.org/publications/

 

Correct.

 

Hopefully not! Our goal and we are currently on track, is mid-2020's.

 

It was initially developed for prevention. We discovered however that it was restorative as well. Then we discovered it was effective in treating tinnitus. Initial research is so much fun once you get past all the failures

 

It is also looks like the research was as a prophylactic or immediate after noise exposure (within 7 hours).

Her talk was illuminating in regards to DoD funding though.

"They are only interested in oral formulations because they can be used on the battlefield."

Other things she said make it sound like they are less interested in helping already disabled veterans and more interested in preventing future ones. Would be nice to see DoD research addressing both.

Edit: D-Methionine probably needs its own thread.

 

I'm assuming we don't have the tech to differentiate or diagnose those aspects on a live person?

 

Justin I've read you saying this a few times - it's effective in treating tinnitus. Is this based on findings from animal models or humans who reported it after phase 1?