New Gene Therapy Treats Deafness Blessing for Children and Adults | Big success in treating deafness! Improvement in hearing ability from new gene therapy, boon for children and adults

Hearing loss restoring: Scientists have developed a new gene therapy, which can prove to be a boon for children and adults struggling with congenital deafness or serious hearing problem. A team of researchers from Sweden and China successfully tested the therapy, which improved the hearing capacity of 10 patients. This study has been published in the journal Nature Medicine. This research included 10 patients between the ages of 1 to 24, who were admitted in five hospitals in China.

How does this therapy work in hearing

These patients were suffering from deafness or severe hearing problem due to mutation in OTOF genes. This mutation causes otopherlin protein deficiency, which plays an important role in sending sound signals from the ear to the brain. In gene therapy, a working version of the OttF gene was delivered to the interiors of the ear using a special type of synthetic virus (AAV). It was given from a membrane (called round window) on the basis of coclia (a part of the ear) through the same injection.

Jean therapy will get such benefits

The effect of this therapy was seen rapidly. In just one month, most patients’ hearing ability improved. Six months later, notable progress was seen in all the patients in the follow-up. On average, the patients were capable of listening to the sound of 106 decibels, which improved up to 52 decibels than before.

This therapy was the most effective especially among children aged 5 to 8 years. A seven -year -old girl achieved the ability to listen almost in four months and started talking to her mother everyday. This therapy proved to be effective in adult patients too.