An 18-month-old in London, England, is one of the youngest children to receive gene therapy to treat hearing loss caused by a mutation in the OTOF gene. This gene produces a protein called Otoferlin that allows for communication between cells of the cochlea and the brain.

The recipient received an infusion of a functional copy of the OTOF in her ear. The procedure was completed in just 16 minutes. Reportedly, it only took a few weeks for the child to begin to hear and respond to sounds without the help of her cochlear implant.

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References

Afzali K. (2024) Toddler born deaf can hear after gene therapy trial breakthrough her parents call “mind-blowing.”CBS News(accessed May 13, 2024).

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