I am surprised that no one brought this up. It was all over the news a couple weeks ago. It was stressed at the press conference that this drug will have application to those in the armed forces exposed to gun fire.

[url=techlink.msu.montana.edu/articles/biohealth.html]American BioHealth Group Advancing Navy Medical Breakthrough Promising Hearing Loss Restoration and Protection to Millions[/url]

March 5, 2002

SAN DIEGO, Calif.--American BioHealth Group, LLC has signed an exclusive license with the United States Navy for a new and novel pharmaceutical technology developed by the Naval Medical Center-San Diego for the prevention and treatment of hearing loss resulting from noise and chemical exposure.
The technology, a family of unique antioxidant compounds, has been shown to effectively prevent and restore hearing loss in animal models exposed to various noise insults and cancer therapies. This was developed under the direction of Army Colonel Richard D. Kopke, MD, by researchers at Naval Medical Center-San Diego, and researchers at the State University of New York at Buffalo. This pharmaceutical development promises to aid tens of millions of Americans at risk for sensorineural hearing loss.

"This is a seminal moment for the 39 million plus individuals that are at risk and suffer from hearing loss due to noise or chemical exposure," said David Karlman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of American BioHealth Group, LLC. "Dr. Kopke's team of talented researchers have committed years to the specific discipline of finding a cure for sensorineural hearing loss. This agreement further verifies the magnitude of their contribution and will result in needed pharmaceutical products to help tens of millions of Americans who today have no pharmaceutical treatment options for the prevention or restoration of sensorineural hearing loss. We are honored to be the organization chosen to work with the Naval Medical Research Center in San Diego, Dr. Kopke, and the Office of Naval Research to bring this exciting research to commercialization."

Under the terms of the exclusive license agreement, American BioHealth Group will conduct clinical research, product development and have an exclusive license to market the products for the protection and restoration of hearing loss. The compounds that will be developed and commercialized by American BioHealth Group have already been approved by the FDA for other indications and have acceptable, well-proven safety profiles.

(continued)

Mark Mugerditchian, President and Chief Operating Officer states, "For the first time, physicians will be able to treat individuals suffering from sensorineural hearing loss using a pharmaceutical product that has gone through the rigorous safety and efficacy testing required by FDA. We believe that our first product, once approved, will be the first pharmaceutical product in the marketplace targeted at these indications. Our goal is to develop a series of products based on this technology, that addresses this significant unmet medical need."

American BioHealth Group, LLC, is a pharmaceutical company that conducts research, development, sales, and marketing of health care products that improve the quality of life for patients suffering from chronic, or potentially chronic hearing disorders.

The TechLink Center, a technology transfer organization located at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana, assisted the Navy in the development of the American BioHealth Group license. The Department of Defense and NASA fund TechLink to link companies in Montana and the surrounding region with federal laboratories for joint research and technology transfer. Its purpose is to contribute to the success of both technology-based companies and key resource-based industries in the region.

Wow! This pretty good, treating hearing loss with drugs rather than surgery. For some people before the days where hearing protection was accepted, for such people as Robert Brown of Soldier of Fortune magazine, there is hope.

You can keep your pound of cure, I'll keep my ounce of prevention.

-legrue

Sounds like a ray of hope for us old farts who didn't get they word on hearing damage from high power shooting til it had already happened.  Wish I could blame it all on the Army, but I'd been shooting high power from age 14, and at least ten years after my service, before the word got out about the damage being permanent.  Need to stay on top of this story! [:D]

Whut?  Hair regrowth??  Like Rogaine, yuh mean?

There are other types of damage that can occur as well.  I hope it's a cure-all -- I can sure use some -- but. . . .

Sigh.

This I not only have to hear about but see also.

Sh!t, I don't need THAT, I've got ENUFF hair growing outta my ears AS it is!!

Bulldog OUT