Sensorion, a biotech working on therapies for inner ear diseases, said today that it inked a deal with Cochlear Ltd (ASX:COH) to study combination therapies for patients with cochlear implants.
According to the deal, the companies will combine Sensorion’s SENS-401 compound with cochlear implants in preclinical studies starting next year. The drug-device therapies could be in clinical trials as early as 2019, the companies reported.
In connection with the deal, Cochlear is slated to invest $1.9 million in shares of Sensorion in exchange for the right of first negotiation for a global license to use SENS-401 in patients with certain implantable devices.
“Our collaboration has the potential to be transformational for both partners, as well as for patients suffering from hearing loss,” Sensorion CEO Nawal Ouzren said in prepared remarks. “In children, the sense of hearing is crucial to development, language and learning; in older adults, hearing impairment can be disabling and isolating. We believe that our collaborative efforts could ultimately result in life-changing benefits to implanted patients and we look forward to initiating mid-stage clinical testing as soon as 2019.”
“Cochlear is committed to advance hearing therapies and we look forward to leveraging our combined knowledge and capabilities,” Jan Janssen, Cochlear’s CTO, added. “Sensorion has a promising portfolio of therapeutic candidates and we believe that the demonstrated effects of SENS-401 may strategically complement our technology. We are excited for what our combined efforts could mean for providing even better outcomes for implant recipients.”
