A drug to protect hearing during antibiotic treatment
Official title: Therapeutics to prevent aminoglycoside-induced hearing loss
Funded at Ting Therapeutics, INC. · NIH-11380822 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A company-sponsored project is testing a drug to help prevent hearing loss in adults who must take aminoglycoside antibiotics.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ting Therapeutics, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Diego, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | July 17, 2020 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $524,299 |
| NIH project number | 5R44DC019065-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11380822 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with conditions requiring aminoglycoside antibiotics who are at risk for hearing loss could be eligible in future human studies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not treated with aminoglycosides or not at risk for AGIHL may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to determine whether TT003, a natural compound related to piperlongumine, can protect against hearing loss caused by aminoglycoside antibiotics in animal models. Researchers will study how TT003 affects the bacteria-killing power of these antibiotics and identify a safe, effective dosing plan in animals that resemble human infections. The work builds on prior zebrafish and mouse data showing potential protection from hearing damage, with plans to move toward drug approval steps. If successful, the approach could offer a protective option for patients at risk of AGIHL during serious infections.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to a protective treatment that reduces hearing loss in patients needing aminoglycoside antibiotics.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical studies in zebrafish and mice have shown protective signals, but human effectiveness remains to be demonstrated.
Where this research is happening
-
Ting Therapeutics, INC.
San Diego, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zuo, Jian — Ting Therapeutics, INC.
- Study coordinator: Zuo, Jian
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.