data + articles · 2 listed
newest 2018spec sheet8 rows
AUT-00063 is an investigational Kv3 (Shaw-family) potassium channel modulator developed by Autifony Therapeutics for hearing disorders, chiefly tinnitus and age-related hearing loss.
- Studied for reducing tinnitus-related neural hyperactivity
- Investigated as a treatment for age-related hearing loss
Overview
A hearing-focused ion channel drug that worked well in animal tinnitus models but didn't beat placebo when it was actually tested in people.
Mechanism
AUT-00063 modulates Kv3.1 voltage-gated potassium channels in the central auditory pathway, including the dorsal cochlear nucleus, inferior colliculus, and auditory ; these channels control rapid neuronal repolarization and high-frequency firing. By normalizing Kv3 channel activity, the drug suppresses abnormal spontaneous neural hyperactivity thought to underlie tinnitus, without altering normal hearing thresholds or frequency tuning.
receptor fingerprint
Kv3.1 potassium channelModulator
Safetyrisks and cautions, not medical advice
AUT-00063 completed Phase I testing and was reported to be tolerated. Its Phase IIa QUIET-1 trial in mild-to-moderate subjective tinnitus was stopped early in 2016 for lack of efficacy, not for a safety signal; systematic long-term human safety data remain limited since the program did not continue.
Subjective profileweighing the evidence above
A well-reasoned approach to tinnitus that simply did not beat placebo when it was properly tested. The Kv3 target still looks worth pursuing; this particular molecule is not the drug that will prove it.
Resources
This entry is here for reference.
Research
- 1.Effects of AUT00063, a Kv3.1 channel modulator, on noise-induced hyperactivity in the dorsal cochlear nucleus
- 2.Increased spontaneous firing rates in auditory midbrain following noise exposure are specifically abolished by a Kv3 channel modulator
2 listed here; entry last updated July 2026
Reviews
My notesprivate to this device
FAQ
What is AUT-00063 used for?
It was investigated as an oral treatment for tinnitus and age-related hearing loss, targeting abnormal neural activity in the brain's auditory pathway.
How does AUT-00063 work?
It modulates Kv3.1 potassium channels in auditory brain regions, which appears to calm the spontaneous overactivity linked to tinnitus without affecting normal hearing.
Is AUT-00063 well-researched?
It has solid animal data and completed a Phase IIa human trial, but that trial found no benefit over placebo, so it is not an established treatment.
Limitations of the evidence
- Failed to beat placebo for tinnitus in its main Phase IIa trial
- Long-term human safety data are limited since development stopped early