SEATTLE, WASHINGTON — Sound Pharmaceuticals, a Seattle-based biotech firm, announced late last month that it had completed enrollment on its first Ménière’s disease clinical trial. The clinical trial will use SPI-1005, an investigational new drug developed by the company that mimics and induces Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx), which has been shown to reduce the swelling or edema of the inner ear in animal studies involving acoustic trauma.
Ménière’s disease affects an estimated 600,000 people in the US, and approximately 5 million worldwide. The debilitating condition — with symptoms of vertigo, hearing loss and tinnitus — is typically managed, with varying degrees of success, through dietary changes, diuretics and steroids.
“We look forward to presenting these positive findings involving SPI-1005 at the Triological Society Meeting later this year.” —Jonathan Kil, MD, President and CEO
“We are thrilled to have completed enrollment on this ground breaking study involving Ménière’s disease,” said Dr. Sujana Chandrasekhar, past-President of the AAO-HNS and a study investigator.
According to the company, an earlier Phase 2 clinical trial of SPI-1005 was shown to prevent sensorineural hearing loss in young adults exposed to noise.
Currently, there are no FDA-approved drugs to treat Ménière’s disease.
Google Ventures (GV) Invests in Decibel Therapeutics
Boston-based biotech firm, Decibel Therapeutics announced an investment by GV, formerly Google Ventures, the venture capital arm of Google’s parent company Alphabet.
Decibel Therapeutics, founded in 2015, works to develop new therapies to “protect, repair, and restore hearing”.
“We are delighted to work with GV to amplify our commitment to develop new therapies for hearing loss and tinnitus by leveraging GV’s world-leading big data sciences and informatics capabilities. Elucidating the complex and multifactorial biological basis for hearing loss amidst an extraordinarily large and diverse population requires the application of advanced big data sciences to collect, analyze, and interpret massive data sets. GV excels at working with leading biotechnology companies where big data sciences will aid in the discovery of transformative medicines and we look forward to working together in our quest to create a world in which the benefits and joys of hearing are available to all.” –Steven Holtzman, President and CEO of Decibel Therapeutics
GV says that the relationship with Decibel aligns directly with its philosophy of investing in and providing guidance to companies that have the potential to have positive impact on the lives of millions of people.
