ADB-105 is our development program for the treatment of hearing loss. Our novel CA8* gene therapy, activating Kv7.4 (the potassium channel encoded by the KCNQ4 gene), is designed to locally target specific inner-ear hair cells upon intra-cochlea or intra-tympanic Injection (minimally invasive, locally administered, precise procedures, performed by ENT surgeons).

This treatment for sensorineural hearing loss is designed to be neuroprotective and prevents neurodegeneration of hyper-excitable inner-ear hair cells leading to hearing loss. This same approach may be corrective in KCNQ4-gene-mutation causing many cases of hereditary hearing loss.

Hearing Loss – Prevention is the Goal!

There are many causes of hearing loss, almost all affecting the health of inner-ear hair cells.  Trauma from exposure to very loud sounds (like explosions) or assault of the ear (a “slap” in a fight) are most common, but viral and bacterial infections may have severe long term damaging effects as well.  While reducing inflammation associated with sudden hearing loss resulting from viral infection may be treated with corticosteroids for a short period of time, prosthetic hearing enhancement with hearing aids or cochlear implants is usually the only feasible approach to managing patient’s significant hearing loss.

• • About 1 in 5,000 adults experience sudden hearing loss annually, amounting to ~60,000-70,000/year²,
  • Genetic hearing loss accounts for about 50-60% of hearing loss in children³
  • About 10% of genetic hearing loss in children is caused by KCNQ4 mutations that impact the functioning of Kv7.4 in hearing hair cells^3​

  Limited treatment options

  • Corticosteroids may help reduce inflammation during early stages of sensorineural hearing loss⁴
  • Hearing aids and cochlear implant are most prevailing approaches to support after long term hearing loss⁴

1. WHO web-report: deafness & hearing loss
2. Hearing Loss Association of America (hearingloss.org)
3. Dominguez et al (2012) Appl Clin Genet: https://doi: 10.2147/TACG.S35525
4. clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/sensorineural-hearing-loss