Symphony of joy: Deaf kids get back hearing capabilities in both ears after gene therapy

Five children deaf by birth have regained their hearing in both ears in a gene therapy trial.

The trial, conducted by doctors at Fudan University in Shanghai, targeted children aged between one and 11 who suffered from genetic mutations preventing the production of a crucial protein for auditory signal transmission.

This therapy has now enabled the children to detect sound directions.

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These young patients started to show positive results only after a few weeks. Among the improvements were locating sounds, recognisingspeech even in noisy environments and even enjoying music.

Dr. Zheng-Yi Chen from Harvard teaching hospital for eye and earthat co-led the trial described the results as a “turning point" and highlighted that the children’s hearing continued to improve "dramatically".

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"This is absolutely a turning point," Chen told AFP news agency.

In a positive development, he also suggested that companies are now conducting clinical trials so that they can get approvals. "If the results hold, without any complications, I think in three to five years, it may be a medically approved product," he added.

The therapy involves using an inactive virus for introducing working copies of the affected gene, Otof, into the inner ear. This allows ear cells to produce the protein otoferlin which is essential for hearing.

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A two-year-old boy responded to his name within three weeks and danced to music after 13 weeks. A three-year-old girl, who initially did not react to sounds, understood sentences and spoke some words 13 weeks post-treatment.

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One mother Chang Yiyi said she got very emotional as her son responded to her calling him. "I hid in a closet and called for him, and he still responded!" she told AFP news agency.

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"That really shows our brain has a plasticity that maybe lasts much longer than we originally thought," said Chen.

It is worth noting that the trial is ongoing as the kids will be monitored to check for long-term repercussions of the treatment. Globally, 430 million people suffer from disabling hearing loss, with around 26 million being deaf from birth.

The study released in the journal Nature Medicine on Wednesday (June 5) is a milestone as it represents the first implementation of such a procedure on both ears.

(With inputs from agencies)