Acousia Therapeutics Reports Success in ACOU085 Hearing Loss Trial

More than 90% of young patients undergoing cisplatin chemotherapy for testicular cancer developed sensorineural hearing loss in a recent study, yet a new small molecule drug, ACOU085, has shown clinical promise in preventing permanent damage to the inner ear, according to top-line results from the Phase 2a PROHEAR trial.

The study, conducted in Tübingen, tested a 6 mg transtympanic dose of the drug against a placebo in patients at high risk of ototoxicity. Participants typically experienced hearing degradation in the 10–16 kHz range after receiving cumulative cisplatin doses of 300 mg/m². Data indicates that ACOU085, a first-in-class Kv7.4 channel activator, successfully limited pure-tone audiometry threshold increases compared to the control group.

Professor Hubert Löwenheim, scientific supervisor of the PROHEAR study, noted that these results validate Kv7.4 modulation as a viable path for treating various forms of hearing loss where current device-based solutions remain insufficient. Acousia Therapeutics intends to leverage these findings to expand the drug's application to broader patient populations. The company is now preparing for further clinical development and will discuss potential strategic partnerships at the upcoming BIO International Convention in San Diego.