Five children who were born deaf now have hearing in both ears after participating in a groundbreaking gene therapy trial. The trial, conducted by doctors at Fudan University in Shanghai, aimed to address inherited genetic mutations that hinder the body’s ability to produce a crucial protein necessary for transmitting auditory signals from the ear to the brain.

The children, ranging from one to eleven years old, received treatment in both ears with the hope of achieving 3D hearing capabilities, enabling them to engage in conversations and accurately determine the direction of sound sources. Remarkably, shortly after undergoing the therapy, the children exhibited improved hearing, were able to locate sound origins, and could comprehend speech even in noisy environments. In a heartwarming development, two of the children were observed dancing to music, showcasing the positive impact of the treatment.

Dr. Zheng-Yi Chen, a scientist at Massachusetts Eye and Ear, a Harvard-affiliated hospital in Boston that co-led the trial, expressed astonishment at the results, noting the significant progress in the children’s hearing abilities. The innovative therapy involves using a modified virus to deliver functional copies of the affected gene, Otof, into the inner ear. Subsequently, cells within the ear utilize the new genetic material to produce essential otoferlin protein, essential for auditory signal transmission.

Video footage from the trial captures a heartwarming moment of a two-year-old boy responding to his name just three weeks after treatment and joyfully dancing to music after 13 weeks, activities he had been unable to engage in before the therapy. Another patient, a three-year-old girl, initially unresponsive to sounds, displayed remarkable progress after 13 weeks of treatment.