Gene therapy improves hearing in siblings with inherited deafness
Two siblings born with profound hearing loss gained hearing after receiving gene therapy at Cincinnati Children’s, according to the hospital. The treatment, Otarmeni, targets a specific inherited form of deafness linked to variants in both copies of the OTOF gene—not congenital deafness generally.
The hospital said Abdu received treatment in April 2025 at age 3 and began detecting sounds within four weeks. By its October 8, 2026 release, he was hearing within the normal range and beginning to develop speech. His 1-year-old sister, Sumaya, also experienced substantial hearing improvement. Both were in the trial’s second group, separate from the first 12 participants whose results were published.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted Otarmeni accelerated approval on April 23, 2026. Eligibility requires genetically confirmed OTOF-related hearing loss, preserved outer hair cell function and no previous cochlear implant in the ear being treated. The FDA said approval relied on hearing-sensitivity improvements at 24 weeks; longer-term benefits for hearing, speech and quality of life still require verification.
For Baguio and Cordillera families, the development concerns a narrowly defined genetic condition. The sources establish U.S. approval but do not establish Philippine approval, local availability or pricing.
The siblings’ outcomes were described in Cincinnati Children’s October 8 release. The FDA’s product listing and regulatory review provide the approval conditions and continuing follow-up requirements.
