DeCure's autonomous Rare AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for hearing loss, autosomal dominant 90 — screening already-approved drugs against its 1-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleHearing loss, autosomal dominant 90 maps to a 1-gene Open Targets module — the target space DeCure's AI scientist screens approved drugs against.
DeCure.ai methodSignature reversal (LINCS) plus network proximity (STRING) rank already-approved drugs likely to perturb this module — the same engine that produces DeCure.ai's repurposing hypotheses.
Repurposing thesisScreening approved medicines against this disease module, then publishing the evidence for the strongest candidate. Known pharmacology and human exposure data make the first question sharper — they do not establish safety or efficacy in a new indication.
Research record
01
ResearchComing soon
Candidate research + dossier — target rationale, drug-repurposing thesis and evidence pack.proof: Published dossier + on-chain hash
02
ValidationComing soon
In-vitro biological validation at a contract research org (CRO).proof: CRO contract + in-vitro report
03
Peer review & paperComing soon
Peer-reviewed paper published open-access (preprint + journal).proof: DOI + open-access link + on-chain hash
Current lead
No approved-drug candidate for hearing loss, autosomal dominant 90 is corroborated in the literature DeepSearch retrieved. Some conditions are managed with non-pharmacological care — a device, surgery or physical therapy — rather than a medicine; that may be the case here, or the literature we found may simply be too sparse yet to support a drug-repurposing angle.
Molecular view
myosin IIIA (MYO3A) — MYO3A is one of the genes genetically linked to this disease in Open Targets — shown as context, not as a drug target we're pursuing: no approved-drug candidate for this disease is yet corroborated in the literature we found.
Loading structure…
helix sheet apo structuredrag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 6JLE · 1.55 Å · ligand none (apo structure). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
An estimated 6.7% of a UK clinical population and 0.7% of the general population have hearing loss greater than 70 dB averaged over 0.5, 1, and 2 kHz, based on a retrospective study of 32,781 cases from which 2,199 cases of severe or profound loss were identified. A separate observational study of 1,651 patients aged 18 to 99 found that patients taking drugs, whether in mono- or polytherapy, reported higher hearing deficits than those not taking drugs, with a dose-response effect where the risk of moderate to severe impairment increased with the number of drugs taken. Drugs for cardiovascular disease and acid-related disorders were linked to increased perceived hearing impairment, while antidiabetic agents were associated with a potential protective effect; the cross-sectional design precludes any inference of causality.
Cochlear implantation in 14 patients deafened by ototoxic drugs yielded post-operative BKB scores ranging from 33% to 100% (median 91%), with one patient requiring explantation due to infection. In a matched group of 13 patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss, scores ranged from 16% to 100% (median 88%), and one patient could not be tested for open set speech discrimination. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.983), indicating that implantation outcomes are variable and may depend on the underlying pathology for which ototoxic agents were prescribed.
Gene therapy for hereditary hearing loss is reviewed as a promising approach, with three major strategies—gene replacement, gene suppression, and gene editing—having shown successful preclinical trials. Clinical trial results have been approved, but the review does not report specific efficacy data for any particular genetic form of hearing loss. An expert consensus on surgical treatment for hereditary hearing loss has been formulated based on molecular epidemiological surveys and postoperative follow-up data, but it does not provide quantitative outcomes for any specific genetic subtype.
A clinical genetic study of 144 patients with nonsyndromic hearing loss established sex distribution, type, degree, symmetry, laterality, progression, aetiology, and inheritance patterns, but no drug or intervention was tested. What remains missing for autosomal dominant hearing loss specifically is any trial that tests a drug or gene therapy in patients with that exact genetic diagnosis, any randomised controlled trial of any intervention, and any stratification of patients by the specific dominant gene mutation.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
International Journal of Audiology · 2012 · 32 citations
Prevalence & characteristics of severe and profound hearing loss in adults in a UK National Health Service clinic
AbstractLaura Turton*ab & Pauline Smithcda Hearing Link, Eastbourne, UKb The Centre for Hearing & Balance Disorders, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, Coventry, UKc Hearing Services Department, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, UKd Medical Research Council Hearing and Communication Group, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UKCorrespondence: Laura Turton, Hearing Link, 27–28, The Waterfront, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN23 5UZ, UK. E-mail:[email protected]: To estimate the prevalence of severe and profound hearing loss in a clinical population and to report the audiological and hearing-aid characteristics for this group, as well as outcome measures from use of hearing aids. Design: A retrospective observational study initially, followed by a postal Glasgow health status inventory (GHSI) to establish the patients functional outcomes. Study sample: A clinical database of 32 781 cases was interrogated from which 2199 cases of severe /profound hearing loss were identified. From these, an adult sample stratified in terms of age and gender of n = 302 was contacted. Results: An estimated 6.7% of the local clinical population and 0.7% of the general population were found to have hearing > 70 dB averaged over 0.5, 1, and 2 kHz. Most patients were fitted with bilateral hearing aids, using a non-linear prescription, and as a group they reported a high level of social support. Conclusions: This study has estimated the prevalence of severe and profound hearing loss as 6.7% of the clinical population, and 0.7% of the general population. This is consistent with previous work, although it probably underestimates the prevalence. Further work is indicated to strengthen the estimate.
Cochlear Implants International · 2013 · 14 citations
Cochlear implantation in patients deafened by ototoxic drugs
AbstractOBJECTIVE: To investigate the outcome of cochlear implantation (CI) in patients deafened by ototoxic drugs and to compare this, with the outcome of CI in sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) with a similar duration of deafness. METHODS: The Manchester Auditory Implant Centre database was reviewed to identify patients who were implanted to rehabilitate profound sensorineural hearing loss resulting from treatment with ototoxic agents and patients with SSNHL group. A retrospective case note review of selected patients was carried out. Primary outcome measure was post-implantation Bamford-Kowal-Bench (BKB) score in quiet in both the groups. Secondary outcome measure was any significant complications following implantation. RESULTS: We identified 14 patients in the ototoxic group, which were matched with 13 patients in the SSNHL group. The post-operative BKB score in the ototoxic group ranged from 33 to 100% (median score 91%). One patient had bilateral CI. One patient required explantation following an infection. The post-operative BKB score in the SSNHL group ranged from 16 to 100% (median score 88%). One patient in this group could not be tested using this method as they did not have open set speech discrimination. Two patients in this group had bilateral CI. The data were analysed using Mann-Whitney U test. There was no statistically significant difference in the BKB scores in the two groups of patients (P value -0.983). CONCLUSION: Patients with profound hearing loss secondary to ototoxic agents can be rehabilitated successfully with CI. The outcomes may be variable and may be dependent on the underlying pathology for which the ototoxic agents were prescribed.
Sensory Neuroscience · 2025 · 7 citations · open access
Update on Gene Therapy in the Treatment of Hereditary Hearing Loss
AbstractABSTRACT Gene therapy is a promising therapeutic approach for genetic disorders, involving genetic modification to repair or reconstruct faulty genetic material. It is particularly relevant to hereditary hearing loss (HHL), a common monogenic condition that can lead to congenital deafness. The recent approval of clinical trial results using gene therapy for HHL underscores the growing interest in this field. To further advance inner ear gene therapy and its application in genetic diseases, it is crucial to review the progress of gene therapy for HHL. This review focuses on the three major gene therapy strategies—gene replacement, gene suppression, and gene editing—highlighting their application across different monogenic disorders and successful preclinical trials in HHL. We summarize the primary gene therapy strategies used in recent years, discuss recent achievements in preclinical studies, and explore potential advancements in this field.
American Journal of Audiology · 2004 · 1 citations
Clinical Genetic Study of 144 Patients With Nonsyndromic Hearing Loss
AbstractHearing loss constitutes an important category of congenital defects that can be isolated or part of the phenotypic spectrum of several syndromes. A clinical genetic study was performed on a sample of 144 patients with nonsyndromic hearing loss, establishing the sex distribution, type, degree, symmetry, laterality, progression, etiology, and, when possible, inheritance pattern.
[Expert consensus on surgical treatment for hereditary hearing loss].
AbstractHereditary hearing loss, with its well-defined molecular etiology, is a typical disease suitable for applying the concept of individualized precision medicine to clinical practice. Given its genetic heterogeneity and phenotypic diversity, there are particularities for the surgical treatment of hereditary hearing loss. Based on the results of the molecular epidemiological survey of large samples of deafness, various surgical methods and postoperative follow-up data, this expert consensus formulates a detailed guidance plan for the surgical treatment, efficacy evaluation and postoperative rehabilitation of hereditary hearing loss.
Audiology Research · 2025 · 0 citations · open access
Association Between Polypharmacy and Self-Reported Hearing Disability: An Observational Study Using ATC Classification and HHIE-S-It Questionnaire
AbstractBACKGROUND: hearing loss represents, today, one of the most significant health problems affecting the world's population. This clinical condition, particularly manifest in adulthood, can arise or be aggravated by both the presence of specific pathologies and by taking multiple classes of drugs at the same time. METHODS: to understand this relationship, the present non-interventional observational study aimed to investigate the relationship between worsening hearing abilities in 1651 patients aged between 18 and 99 years. In particular, the thorough history of patients allowed us to evaluate the pathological profiles, pharmacological profiles, and therapeutic regimens adopted. This allowed us to evaluate its association with self-reported hearing loss, assessed through the administration of the HHIE-S-It questionnaire. Furthermore, given the presence of multimorbidity, the possible correlation between self-reported hearing loss and the specific classes of drugs, categorized using the Anatomical Therapeutic Classification (ATC) system, was evaluated. RESULTS: the results highlighted how patients taking drugs, both in mono- and polytherapy regimens, had higher hearing deficits than patients not taking drugs. Furthermore, an apparent dose-response effect, in which the risk of moderate to severe impairment progressively increased with the number of drugs taken, was also observed. Different classes of drugs, particularly those used for the treatment of diseases of the cardiovascular system, as well as drugs for acid-related disorders, were significantly linked to an increased risk of perceived hearing impairment. On the contrary, agents belonging to the antidiabetic category have proven to be drugs capable of offering a potential protective effect. CONCLUSION: this study highlighted how both the number of drugs taken and some specific categories of drugs can contribute to perceived hearing impairment. While this evidence highlights the importance of integrating audiological evaluation into the management of patients in polypharmacy, the cross-sectional nature of the design precludes the inference of causality. This evidence still favors safer and more personalized therapeutic strategies.
Disease module: DeepOracle (Open Targets). Structures: RDKit from PubChem SMILES. Literature: retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works (targeted per-candidate search), resolved on OpenAlex.
DeCure is a research and publication project, not medical advice and not a treatment. "DeCure for X" describes a research goal, not a claim that a cure exists. Backing a cure is a contribution to fund the research — it is not an investment, and confers no yield, royalty, equity or IP ownership. Papers are published open-access by the DeCure.ai DAO.
