Novartis is entering into partnership with Genvec for their hearing and balance loss restoration programme.They are spending 5 million upfront to Genvec showing their convidence in Genvec's technology.
hopefully this year will be the start to an end for tinnitus and hearing disorder.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSSGE60I0EU20100119 (external link, opens new browser window)

Hi

This is indeed very very very good news!
Much Thanks !

If the programme succeeds Genvec will recieve a further 214 million which is a great incentive for Genvec to achieve their goal.
http://triangle.bizjournals.com/triangle/stories/2010/01/18/daily16.html (external link, opens new browser window)

It is nice to know that a pharmaceutical giant with about 99,000 employees and 2008 net income of more than $8 billion has finally come to play in the field of hearing and balance loss.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20100119/GenVec-and-Novartis-collaborate-to-develop-novel-treatments-for-hearing-loss-and-balance-disorders.aspx (external link, opens new browser window)

these kind of positive news increases my hope to live happy even T bothers .. and i am thinking if this would have happend some 20 years back now there would be some sort of cure .... aleast all researches are started 2-3 years back like stem cells.. . i think need to wait atleast 4-5 years for proper treatment

Couldn't agree with your more pnbabu. 4-5 years is a typical time period to get a drug through all the trial phases. Let's hope it's successful!

Best wishes.

See :

http://www.genvec.com/go.cfm?do=Page.View&pid=120 (external link, opens new browser window)

Another coy also have something on gene therapy in pre-clinical stage :

See :
http://www.soundpharmaceuticals.com/index.html (external link, opens new browser window)

For background see :
http://www.soundpharmaceuticals.com/technology.html (external link, opens new browser window)

Hi SD u mean to say it will take less then 4-5 years or more then 4-5 years for proper treatment ??

"Novartis/GenVec: Novartis's small deal with gene therapy developer GenVec in the hearing loss space is another example of its desire to diversify into areas of unmet medical need, says "The Pink Sheet" DAILY. The Swiss drugmaker pays a modest $5 million up-front and buys $2 million in GenVec common stock for the biotech's preclinical, gene-based "atonal therapy" program, which is designed to restore hearing loss and balance function by stimulating the regeneration of sensory hair cells in the ear. In addition to the up-front and the validation of a deal, GenVec stands to gain $214 million in milestone and royalty payments if products are commercialized. Novartis also picks up full development control--and cost--of the gene therapy program, and will manage the collaboration via its New Indications Discovery Unit, a group charged with exploring opportunities in diseases outside the drugmaker's current R&D strategy. aimed at stopping or reversing hearing loss certainly fit that description. Devices currently dominate the hearing loss/balance market and IN VIVO Blog is aware of only a few other companies attempting to play in this space: Quark Biotech, Auris Medical, and Otonomy. On a much smaller scale, one might see Novartis' move as reminiscent of its decision to take over specialty ophthalmic player Alcon, especially if Novartis follows its toe-dipping GenVec deal by taking a more significant stake in another player with consumer or device offerings. -- Emily Hayes"
source: http://invivoblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/dotw-extreme-measures.html (external link, opens new browser window)