We’ve identified the transcriptomes, or the unique molecular signatures, of more than 40 cochlear cell sub-types. Deepening our understanding of the diversity of cells and their roles in hearing biology is a critical step in discovering and validating novel targets for drug development.

Through genomic and molecular tools such as scRNA-seq, we’re profiling the changes in gene expression associated with many hearing pathologies. This guides our search for new drug development targets.

We test and optimize potential therapeutic compounds using an array of proprietary tools, including in vivo and ex vivo models of inner ear disorders and extensive electrophysiology and molecular characterization tools.

To develop therapeutics which address a diverse range of hearing disorders, we’ve built a tool kit spanning multiple treatment modalities, including biologics, small molecules and gene therapy. We are actively pursuing a range of drug delivery routes, including oral, transtympanic injection and intracochlear infusion.

Using advanced and traditional audiometric tools, Decibel is working to ensure we can select patients for clinical trials, demonstrate the efficacy of our investigational therapies and identify clinically meaningful endpoints. We also work with collaborators to develop and test portable audiometric diagnostic tools, which accelerate the clinical trial process and enable us to conduct research in large populations to characterize the phenotypes of genetic hearing loss.