Sanofi-aventis Enters into Research Collaboration with Audion Therapeutics to Develop Potential Treatments for Hearing Loss
(Thomson Reuters ONE) -
-Over 500 Million Patients Suffer from Hearing Loss Globally with No Currently
Disease-Modifying Treatments Available-
Amsterdam, Netherlands - June 16, 2011 - Audion Therapeutics today announced
that it has entered into a two-year agreement with Sanofi to to develop
potential treatments for hearing loss through the optimization of small
molecules by using a regenerative medicine approach.
This collaborative research will utilize technology developed at the
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in the Eaton-Peabody Laboratory, one of the
world's largest basic research facilities dedicated to the study of hearing and
deafness, by investigator and Audion co-founder Dr. Albert Edge, who has strong
expertise in stem cells and inner ear biology. Audion licensed Dr. Edge's
technology from Mass Eye and Ear. Under the terms of the agreement, Sanofi has
an option to license technology rights from Audion related to research conducted
under the collaboration.
"This alliance with Sanofi validates our thinking around developing small
molecule regenerative drugs for the treatment of hearing loss. We are very
excited about this collaboration," said RolfJan Rutten and Helmuth van Es,
founders of Audion Therapeutics. "Sanofi's interest in the hearing loss field
plus its vast experience and infrastructure in small-molecule drug discovery
make them the perfect partner to move this program forward as diligently as
possible."
About Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is the most prevalent inner ear disorder and the World Health
Organization estimates that 500 million people worldwide have a mild to moderate
to severe or greater hearing loss. Of people aged 65 to 74, nearly 33 percent
have hearing loss and close to 50 percent of people over the age of 75 are
affected. Of people over the age of 85, almost everyone is affected to some
extent. Estimates are that the number of people in the world with age-related
hearing loss is expected to increase to 900 million by 2050. However, the
incidence is rising rapidly among younger people as well, due to frequent
exposure to excessive noise. Estimates from the National Institutes of Health
and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention place the total annual costs
of hearing loss at approximately $50 billion per year in the U.S. alone. There
are currently no prescription products for a disease modifying treatment for
hearing loss.
About Audion Therapeutics
Audion Therapeutics is a private biopharmaceutical company based in Amsterdam
that is dedicated to the discovery, development and commercialization of drugs
and delivery technologies for the treatment of diseases affecting the ear
including hearing loss. Audion, which was founded by Albert Edge, Helmuth van Es
and Rolf Jan Rutten, has technologies and molecules that originated from Albert
Edge's research at the Mass Eye and Ear and then were exclusively licensed to
Audion. For more information please visitwww.audiontherapeutics.com.
About Mass Eye and Ear
The Mass Eye and Ear is a specialty hospital providing outstanding patient care
for disorders of the eye, ear, nose, throat, head and neck. Mass Eye and Ear is
an international leader in hearing loss research and a teaching partner of
Harvard Medical School. For more information please visitwww.MassEyeAndEar.org.
###
Media Contacts
Audion Therapeutics BV
Rolf Jan Rutten
+31646767255
rjrutten(at)audiontherapeutics.com
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Source: Audion Therapeutics via Thomson Reuters ONE
[HUG#1517955]
Unternehmensinformation / Kurzprofil:
Datum: 16.06.2011 - 07:00 Uhr
Sprache: Deutsch
News-ID 55600
Anzahl Zeichen: 4352
contact information:
Town:
Amsterdam
Kategorie:
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