A child’s hearing was restored for the first time using gene therapy

In the UK, for the first time, it was possible to restore the hearing of a child using gene therapy. About a breakthrough in the treatment of deafness told The Guardian.

Opal Sandy, now 1.5 years old, is congenitally deaf due to auditory neuropathy, a condition in which the transmission of nerve impulses from the inner ear to the brain is disrupted and can be caused by a defective gene.

Opal was given a working copy of the gene in an operation that took just 16 minutes. Now the girl hears, enjoys playing toy drums and banging on the table with a spoon. Parents called the result “crazy.”

The trial’s principal investigator, Professor Manohar Bans, said the early results were better than he had “hoped or expected” – and offer hope for patients with this type of deafness.

It is noted that Opal received a low dose of gene therapy and only in one ear. Another group of children will receive a high dose, but also in one ear. If it is found to be safe, other children will receive doses in both ears at the same time. In total, 18 children around the world will take part in the test.

Research has been going on for decades, Bunce notes. The children’s condition will be monitored for five years after surgery.