Objective Hearing impairment affects 600M people worldwide. It greatly decreases quality of life, particularly in the elderly, and constitutes an unmet health and medical need. Regeneration of sensory auditory hair cells is not available as a medical technology. In concordance with this topic call, we propose a novel strategy based on the development of a new technology, a micronutrient formulation implemented as a pill, to prevent damage, and perhaps recovery of auditory hair cells. This SME-driven program is based on the scientific rationale that free radical formation and blood flow reduction underlie cell death in sensory systems in response to environmental stress and with aging. In the auditory system, the stress of intense noise, drugs, cochlear implantation and aging lead to excess free radical formation, blood flow reduction, inner ear sensory cell loss, and irreversible hearing impairment. Our aim is to demonstrate that a proprietary combination of antioxidants (Vitamins A, C, E) and a vasodilator (Mg++) effectively prevent/treat: 1) hearing loss in the elderly and 2) loss of residual hearing in the elderly and patients receiving cochlear implants. A combination of human trials and animal studies will create a pathway to market and effectively translate this new technology to human application. Fields of science medical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologyimplants Programme(s) FP7-HEALTH - Specific Programme "Cooperation": Health Topic(s) HEALTH.2012.2.4.5-1 - Technological approaches to combating sensory impairments Call for proposal FP7-HEALTH-2012-INNOVATION-2 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme CP-FP - Small or medium-scale focused research project Coordinator UNIVERSIDAD DE CASTILLA - LA MANCHA Address Calle altagracia 50 13071 Ciudad real Spain See on map Region Centro (ES) Castilla-La Mancha Ciudad Real Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Maria-Llanos Carrión-Varela (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window EU contribution € 602 276,00 Participants (4) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all HHSE-AUDIPROTEC SOCIEDAD LIMITADA Spain EU contribution € 2 994 500,00 Address Paseo de la innovacion 1 02006 Albacete See on map Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Administrative Contact Barry Seifer (Mr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window MEDIZINISCHE HOCHSCHULE HANNOVER Germany EU contribution € 736 040,00 Address Carl-neuberg-strasse 1 30625 Hannover See on map Region Niedersachsen Hannover Region Hannover Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Frank Dittrich (Mr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window HANNOVER CLINICAL TRIAL CENTER GMBH Germany EU contribution € 290 280,00 Address Carl neuberg str 1 k 27 oe 9751 30625 Hannover See on map Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Thomas Fink (Mr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window KAROLINSKA INSTITUTET Sweden EU contribution € 473 504,00 Address Nobels vag 5 17177 Stockholm See on map Region Östra Sverige Stockholm Stockholms län Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Miles Davies (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window