The article explores drugs being developed to combat hearing loss, a sector that at present is largely untouched by the pharmaceutical industry. The potential market is large, however, and several small biotech firms are now working on it. Some are pursuing drugs that target the inner ear, where sound is first perceived, whereas others are focused on the central nervous system, where sound is processed. Some want to treat damage that has already occurred; others hope to prevent it. Several of their projects are reaching late-stage development, and big pharma is starting to pay attention.
