SB1DC018255

Clinical study to enable commercialization of nonsurgical gel patch for eardrum repair - Abstract

Chronic perforations of the tympanic membrane (TM) affect over 170,000 patients in the United States annually, often stemming from ventilation tubes inserted in the TM to drain fluid from middle ear infections. Left untreated, these TM perforations can lead to significant morbidities that include recurrent ear infection, conductive and sensorineural hearing loss, mastoid bone infection, and cholesteatoma development.

Currently, TM perforations are repaired with a graft applied to the TM via an invasive surgery that can take 2-4 hours to complete, cost up to $18,000 per surgery, and carry significant anesthesia-related risks for pediatric patients. A nonsurgical alternative to the existing procedure that can reduce procedure time and morbidities would be of economic benefit to patients, otolaryngologists, and payors alike.

We have developed a highly regenerative gel patch called PERF-FIX for nonsurgical TM repair that fits the existing clinical workflow for myringoplasty. PERF-FIX can be applied to the TM through the ear canal without incisions or abrasion of the perforation margin, then cured via blue light into a stiff scaffold through which cells can migrate. The cells degrade the gel patch as they proliferate and migrate, resulting in total replacement of PERF-FIX with regenerated TM tissue.

In this proposal, we will conduct a human study in both adult and pediatric patients to evaluate the efficacy of PERF-FIX. This human study is the last milestone before submission of PERF-FIX to FDA for clearance as a Class II medical device. During the study, patients will be evaluated for: perforation closure rate, application time, time to closure, changes in hearing scores, safety of device through adverse events and failure rates.

The endpoints for this study include: TM closure rate at 3 weeks and 3 months, incidence of adverse events, procedural success, and functional hearing results. The data from this study will be compiled in a final report that will be included in the De Novo submission to FDA.

This SBIR project concludes with submission of the De Novo application. The success of this proposal will supply the necessary data to market PERF-FIX successfully after product launch, leading to a significant medical improvement over the current standard-of-care with a major reduction in healthcare costs.

Tympanogen

TO INVESTIGATE SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS DIRECTLY RELEVANT TO INDIVIDUALS WITH DEAFNESS OR DISORDERS OF HUMAN COMMUNICATION IN THE AREAS OF HEARING, BALANCE, SMELL, TASTE, VOICE, SPEECH, AND LANGUAGE. THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS (NIDCD) SUPPORTS RESEARCH AND RESEARCH TRAINING, INCLUDING INVESTIGATION INTO THE ETIOLOGY, PATHOLOGY, DETECTION, TREATMENT, AND PREVENTION OF DISORDERS OF HEARING AND OTHER COMMUNICATION PROCESSES, PRIMARILY THROUGH THE SUPPORT OF BASIC AND APPLIED RESEARCH IN ANATOMY, AUDIOLOGY, BIOCHEMISTRY, BIOENGINEERING, EPIDEMIOLOGY, GENETICS, IMMUNOLOGY, MICROBIOLOGY, MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, THE NEUROSCIENCES, OTOLARYNGOLOGY, PSYCHOLOGY, PHARMACOLOGY, PHYSIOLOGY, PSYCHOPHYSICS, SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY, AND OTHER SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES. THE NIDCD SUPPORTS: (1) RESEARCH INTO THE EVALUATION OF TECHNIQUES AND DEVICES USED IN DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT, REHABILITATION, AND PREVENTION OF DISORDERS OF HEARING AND OTHER COMMUNICATION PROCESSES, (2) RESEARCH INTO PREVENTION AND EARLY DETECTION AND DIAGNOSIS OF HEARING LOSS AND SPEECH, VOICE, AND LANGUAGE DISORDERS AND RESEARCH INTO PREVENTING THE EFFECTS OF SUCH DISORDERS BY MEANS OF APPROPRIATE REFERRAL AND REHABILITATION, (3) RESEARCH INTO THE DETECTION, TREATMENT, AND PREVENTION OF DISORDERS OF HEARING AND OTHER COMMUNICATION PROCESSES IN THE ELDERLY POPULATION AND ITS REHABILITATION TO ENSURE CONTINUED EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION SKILLS, AND (4) RESEARCH TO EXPAND KNOWLEDGE OF THE EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL AGENTS THAT INFLUENCE HEARING OR OTHER COMMUNICATION PROCESSES. SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PROGRAM: TO INCREASE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, TO ENCOURAGE SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION IN FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO FOSTER PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION. SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER (STTR) PROGRAM: TO STIMULATE AND FOSTER SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION THROUGH COOPERATIVE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CARRIED OUT BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO FOSTER TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO INCREASE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION.

93.173 - Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) [HHS - NIH]

Virginia United States

State-Wide

SBIR/STTR Commercialization Readiness Pilot (CRP) Program Technical Assistance and Late Stage Development (SB1 Clinical Trial Required) (PAR-20-130)

Amendment Since initial award the End Date has been extended from 07/31/24 to 11/30/25.