Decibel Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotech focused on developing gene therapies and precision therapeutics to restore functional hair cells in the inner ear for hearing and balance disorders. The company leverages single-cell genomics and proprietary gene therapy technologies to build a research, discovery and drug development platform aimed at restoring hearing and balance. Its lead programs include DB-OTO, an investigational gene therapy for congenital deafness due to otoferlin deficiency (in preclinical studies with clinical testing expected in 2022), and DB-020, an ototoxicity prevention candidate currently in a Phase 1B study with initial human efficacy data expected in 2021. Decibel is collaborating with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals on DB-OTO and uses cell-selective promoters to target gene expression in cochlear hair cells. The company intends to use recent financing proceeds to support clinical and preclinical studies across its pipeline. Decibel positions itself to make hearing and balance therapeutics broadly available through its focused gene therapy programs. Decibel Therapeutics has established a drug discovery, development, and translational research platform to discover and develop therapeutics that protect, repair, and restore hearing. The company is focused on advancing clinical and preclinical product candidates aimed at treating hearing loss and related disorders. Proceeds from its recent financing will be used to advance those programs and to build out its comprehensive hearing drug discovery and development platform and capabilities. Decibel states its mission is to serve the over half billion people globally living with hearing loss and related disorders. The company is headquartered in Boston, Mass. Leadership changes accompanying the financing include a new board member from GV and a new board chair. Decibel Therapeutics is building the world’s first comprehensive, integrated drug discovery, translational research, drug development, and delivery platform to protect, repair, and restore hearing. The company focuses on discovering and developing new therapies for hearing loss and tinnitus and convenes preeminent experts in the field. Decibel is collaborating with a variety of organizations to assemble audiometric, genomic, and phenotypic datasets that it says hold promising insights to accelerate the discovery of novel therapeutics. The firm emphasizes using advanced big data sciences and informatics to elucidate the complex, multifactorial biological basis of hearing loss across large and diverse populations. The company notes that currently there are no medicines available to protect, repair, or restore hearing, which frames its therapeutic mission. Decibel was launched in late 2015 by Third Rock Ventures and is headquartered in Boston, MA. Decibel Therapeutics is a newly formed hearing company focused on discovering and developing new medicines to protect, repair and restore hearing. It combines innovations in hearing science with diagnostic tools, biological insights, modeling and therapeutic delivery techniques to define the underlying biological causes of hearing loss and develop a pipeline of new drugs. The company has identified one near-term clinical candidate and several other targets for assessment. Its stated focus areas include ototoxicity in pediatric cancer and cystic fibrosis patients, noise-induced hearing loss, residual hearing preservation and improved sound fidelity for cochlear implant users, presbycusis, tinnitus, and genetic hearing loss. Decibel was co-founded by experts in inner ear biology and hearing disorders, including M. Charles Liberman, Gabriel Corfas, Ulrich Müller and Albert Edge. The company is led by Kevin Starr as chairman and interim CEO, with Michael Solomon as COO, Leslie Shinobu as CMO and Ada Silos-Santiago as VP of pharmacology, and launched with a $52M Series A financing.

Total raised

$189M

Funding rounds

4

Latest round

Series D

Latest activity

Nov 2020