Biologische Therapien in der Otologie

Abstract

Millions of people worldwide suffer from hearing loss. Current treatment for patients with severe to profound hearing loss consists of cochlear implants. Providing the cochlear nerve is intact, patients generally benefit enormously from this intervention, frequently achieving significant improvements in speech comprehension. There are, however, some cases where current technology does not provide patients with adequate benefit. New therapeutic concepts based on cell transplantation and gene therapy are developing rapidly, at least in the research sector. Compared to the wealth of basic research available in this area, translation of these new experimental approaches into clinical application is presently at a very early stage. The current review focuses on translatable treatment concepts and discusses the barriers that need to be overcome in order to translate basic scientific research into clinical reality. Furthermore, the first examples of clinical application of biological therapies in severe hearing loss are presented, particularly in connection with cochlear implants.

Evaluation of intracochlear pressure and distribution during fluid application in cochlea models and human petrous bone

“…Besides the traditional pharmaceuticals based on small molecules with poor but acceptable diffusion potential, newly arisen therapies based on, e.g. gene or cell therapy (3)(4)(5), require delivery directly to the inner ear to unlock their potential (6,7). This direct administration of a substance was investigated by several research groups, introducing liquid formulations directly into the cochlea.…”