Auris Initiates Second Phase III For Pipeline-Leading Hearing Loss Drug

The pipeline for therapeutic treatments for hearing loss is thin and Auris Medical Holding AG's drug – which contains the synthetic peptide D-JNKI-1 (D-stereoisomer of c-Jun N-terminal kinase inhibitor 1), an inhibitor of the JNK stress kinase coupled to an intracellular transporter – is the most advanced with two Phase III trials ongoing. The first pivotal 255-patient Phase III study, HEALOS, launched in November 2015 and is being conducted in several European and Asian countries.

The latest trial, ASSENT – a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating the efficacy, safety and tolerability of single-dose intratympanic administration...