Hear This! New Hearing Loss Drug Enters Clinical Testing from Sound Pharmaceuticals. Brain Waves: The field of neurotechnology, the focus of this blog, encompasses advances in brain science (neurons), information technology (bits) and bioengineering (genes). Up for discussion and analysis: the political, economic, ethical, and social forces that will shape the future of what will be one of the most important and fascinating stories of the coming decades.

About this author

Zack Lynch is author of The Neuro Revolution: How Brain Science Is Changing Our World (St. Martin's Press, July 2009).
He is the founder and executive director of the Neurotechnology Industry Organization (NIO) and co-founder of NeuroInsights. He serves on the advisory boards of the McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT, the Center for Neuroeconomic Studies, Science Progress, and SocialText, a social software company. Please send newsworthy items or feedback - to Zack Lynch.
Follow me on Twitter at @neurorev

Receive by email

GUEST AUTHOR ARCHIVES

In the Pipeline: Don't miss Derek Lowe's excellent commentary on drug discovery and the pharma industry in general at In the Pipeline

« WikiCalc Makes Socialtext GoogleBait | Main | Recent NeuroInsights and Neurotech Press »

June 12, 2006

Hear This! New Hearing Loss Drug Enters Clinical Testing from Sound Pharmaceuticals

Posted by Zack Lynch

After receiving additional funding from DARPA this past winter Sound Pharmaceuticals has initiated clinical testing of SPI-1005 for the prevention and treatment of noise induced hearing loss.

According to OSHA and the CDC, 30-40 million Americans are exposed to hazardous sound levels on a daily basis. Combined with a burgeoning population of war veterans and the dangerous listening habits of the MP3 generation, the societal costs for hearing devices and compensation awards have soared into the billions. There are currently no drugs for the prevention and treatment of hearing loss despite the vast and increasing need. Sound Pharmaceuticals is vigorously addressing this need with its first in class, first in indication drug, SPI-1005.

In multiple preclinical studies, low oral doses of SPI-1005 have been shown to be effective in preventing and treating noise induced hearing loss. Sound Pharmaceuticals has now started a 32 patient Phase 1 study of SPI-1005 in normal healthy volunteers. “This dose escalation safety study will lay the ground work for our Phase 2 safety and efficacy trials with the US Army and Navy later this year,” stated VP and Director of Clinical Operations, Brett MacPherson.

Sound Pharmaceuticals, Inc., is a privately held neuropharmaceutical company with a focus on developing the first drugs for hearing loss and brain injury. For more information please contact Jonathan Kil, MD, President and CEO 206-634-2559.

Full disclosure: Eric Lynch, VP and Director of Research at Sound is also my brother.

Update 6/22: Excellent Technology Review article on Sound.

Comments (2) + TrackBacks (0) | Category: Neuropharma

COMMENTS

1. Kensai on June 27, 2006 9:17 AM writes...

This is an unusual approach to deafness. But will it work better than neurostimulation?!

Constantine

Permalink to Comment

2. KRDASHARATHI on November 29, 2006 2:24 AM writes...

This is the nicest thing to hear about. If it becomes a reality it is heavans! Further the study should be extended to reagaining of damaged inner ear hearing loss long after exposure to noise, genetic variety and progressive loss due to ageing. All said and done quickness is the most important factor as people with hearing disability are a frustrated lot without any hope of future. If this madicine works it is really great. Please make it available in early 2007.

Permalink to Comment

POST A COMMENT

Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (sign out)

(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)