First Human Trial Begins for Stem Cell Hearing Loss Treatment

A groundbreaking human trial has started in the UK, marking the first time that stem cell therapy is being used to treat hearing loss. The treatment, Rincell-1, aims to regrow damaged nerves in the cochlea and restore hearing function. Researchers from the University of Sheffield developed the treatment, which targets sensorineural hearing loss caused by physical damage to the inner ear’s tiny structures.

Sensorineural hearing loss affects over a billion people worldwide and currently has no cure. Existing treatments like cochlear implants can only partially restore hearing if the cochlea is not severely damaged. The key to the cochlea’s function lies in hair cells that detect sound, but these cells are unable to regenerate if they are severely damaged.

The Rincell-1 treatment uses embryonic stem cells designed to grow into auditory neuron cells and will be administered during cochlear implant surgery. Once on site, the stem cells form new connections between the damaged hair cells and the brain, allowing for restored hearing.

The randomized trial involves 20 patients who will undergo cochlear implant surgery and receive either a single dose of Rincell-1 or no treatment at all. The results could be a game-changer if the treatment is effective in restoring hearing function, either alone or alongside existing treatments like cochlear implants.

Source: https://futurism.com/neoscope/human-trial-stem-cell-hearing-loss