A Novel Therapeutic for the Treatment and Prevention of Hearing Loss from Acoustic Trauma

Abstract : During this granting period we have demonstrated that our therapeutic peptide, P13/T1, was efficacious in treating permanent and severe noise-induced hearing loss. Using a steady-state model of noise exposure (117 db for 2 hours), T1/P13 was administered one hour after noise using a variety of doses and routes of administration. Both topical (ear drop) and subcutaneous (SQ) routes of administration of T1/P13 resulted in a reduction in hearing loss seen after noise insult, with the most dramatic improvement seen after SQ administration. P13/T1 also demonstrated an improvement in hearing thresholds when given either one or 24 hours before the noise insult. Mass spectrometry studies demonstrated that P13/T1 reaches the inner ear when given either subcutaneously or topically. Gene expression studies show that P13/T1 impacts numerous genes related to noise-induced hearing loss.