What is it about?
A single dose of the novel compound AC102 was able to significantly restore hearing in a preclinical noise model for sudden hearing loss. AC102 protected sensory hair cells in the inner ear from damage and helped reconnect the hair cells to the auditory nerve, reversing hearing loss. AC102 works by boosting cellular energy production and reducing harmful reactive oxygen species, also called oxygen radicals. These findings suggest AC102 could be a promising new treatment for sudden sensorineural hearing loss, a debilitating condition that still lacks approved drug therapies.
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Why is it important?
Despite decades of research, the standard-of-care for Sudden Sensorineural (inner ear) Hearing Loss (SSNHL) remains treatment with corticosteroids. However, their benefit has been questioned by the recent HODOKORT clinical trial (Plontke et al., 2024) which found that despite prompt corticosteroid treatment, audiologic deficits remained in over 60% of SSNHL patients. Therefore, the development of drugs to treat inner ear diseases is an enormous medical need. To date, therapies for SSNHL have only targeted either the regeneration of sensory cells, the prevention of cellular loss, or inflammation with agents such as corticosteroids. AC102 is unique in that it displays a bimodal effect, acting on both the cell damage and loss of synapses, leading to its strong efficacy in the noise-induced hearing loss model.
Perspectives
We were so encouraged by the strong efficacy demonstrated by AC102 in the in vivo and in vitro models presented in the publication, that we took the step to evaluate it in clinical trials. After it was shown to be safe and well tolerated in a Phase 1 study, the efficacy of AC102 is currently being evaluated in a pan-European Phase 2 clinical trial in patients with SSNHL. Having shown similar promise in other models of otic impairment, these data suggest that AC102 may have the potential to transform the clinical management of these debilitating conditions.
Dr. Reimar Schlingensiepen
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: A single dose of AC102 restores hearing in a guinea pig model of noise-induced hearing loss to almost prenoise levels, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, April 2024, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2314763121.
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