In a groundbreaking clinical trial, all 10 participants born with congenital deafness gained the ability to hear for the first time after receiving a single-dose gene therapy.
The therapy restored the production of a key protein that enables sound signals to travel from the ear to the brain. The trial included children and young adults aged 1 to 24 and showed remarkable improvements, especially in younger patients.
One 7-year-old girl, who had previously received a cochlear implant in one ear, quickly regained near-perfect hearing in the ear treated with gene therapy. Four months later, she was having daily conversations with her mom and even heard the sound of rain for the first time.
For families and children who once faced a lifetime of silence, this marks the beginning of a much brighter, sound-filled future.