Summary: A MedUni Vienna-led study on AC102 has demonstrated promising results for treating acute sudden hearing loss by protecting inner ear structures and reducing inflammation.
Takeaways:
- Protective Effect: AC102 has shown the ability to protect inner ear cells and auditory nerves from inflammation-related damage, potentially preserving hearing in cases of acute loss.
- Current Trials: Phase I safety trials have concluded successfully, and Phase II efficacy trials are underway at several European centers, including MedUni Vienna.
- New Treatment Potential: If AC102 proves effective, it could offer a much-needed alternative to cortisone, the current but often inadequate treatment for sudden hearing loss.
A research team led by MedUni Vienna has investigated AC102, a new active substance that offers hope of an effective treatment for acute sudden hearing loss. The latest results have been published in the scientific journal “Cell Death & Disease“. Initial findings from preclinical trials could represent a significant advancement in the treatment of acute hearing disorders.
Breaking Down the AC102 Study
The effectiveness of AC102 was demonstrated in a study using animal models with cochlear implants, which was led by Christoph Arnoldner, from the department of Otorhinolaryngology at MedUni Vienna, and Hans Rommelspacher, founder and chief scientific officer of AudioCure Pharma GmbH, a German pharmaceutical company that focuses on hearing impairments.
Cochlear implantation is currently the only treatment option for advanced hearing loss in order to partially restore the hearing ability. The preservation of residual hearing is of crucial importance, as the remaining “natural” hearing in combination with the electrical stimulation of the implant improves speech comprehension and general hearing perception. However, the surgical procedure can damage the inner ear and lead to the loss of residual hearing. Until now, there has been no effective method to prevent or treat this loss.
Further Reading
“In our study, we have now been able to show that the residual hearing of animals that were administered AC102 once increasingly recovered in contrast to untreated animals,” says the study’s first author Michael Nieratschker, who is also from the department of Otorhinolaryngology at MedUni Vienna.
With the help of cell cultures and inner ear models, the study also found an explanation for this effect: AC102 has an anti-inflammatory effect and thus protects the hair cells and auditory nerves from dying.
How AC102 Could Treat Sudden Hearing Loss
The results of the study allow the conclusion that AC102 could also be effective in acute sudden hearing loss. “Sudden hearing loss is usually treated with cortisone, but recent studies show that this approach often does not work,” emphasizes Christoph Arnoldner, head of the CD Laboratory for Inner Ear Research at MedUni Vienna.
Nieratschker added: “Since inflammatory processes and cell damage also play a role in acute sudden hearing loss, as in the case of residual hearing loss in cochlear implantation, the use of AC102 was also investigated in this context.”
The efficacy of the substance has already been demonstrated in a preclinical study involving MedUni Vienna. A Phase I study to confirm the safe use of AC102 at MedUni Vienna and Radboud University in Nijmegen (Netherlands) has also already been successfully completed. The Phase II study to confirm efficacy in patients is being conducted at several European centers, including MedUni Vienna’s Department of Otorhinolaryngology.
“All the results so far give us reason to hope that AC102 could be suitable for the treatment of acute sudden hearing loss,” say Arnoldner and Nieratschker.
