Stem cell therapy holds great promise for potentially curing congenital hearing loss through cochlea regeneration and hearing recovery, according to a review of studies.
South African audiologist and speech pathologist Ms Fatima Ganchi reviewed 65 studies published between 2015 and 2025 on key stem cell types in cochlea function and hearing restoration for congenital hearing loss.
She found significant progress was evident in recent studies using stem cell therapy.
Ganchi analysed preclinical studies, clinical trials, articles and reviews on embryonic stem cells (ESCs); induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) which avoid ethical issues of using embryonic stem cells by reprogramming adult somatic cells like skin fibroblasts; mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) which are a type of adult stem cells (ASCs) found in tissue such as umbilical cord tissue; and cochlea progenitor cells.
Ganchi said congenital hearing loss affected one to three babies in every 1,000 live births.
“Congenital hearing loss, a prevalent permanent paediatric sensory impairment affecting multiple births globally, significantly impacts communicative and cognitive development,” she said.
“Due to the lack of cochlea regenerative capacity, traditional management through auditory amplification fails to achieve natural restoration. Recent advancements in stem cell therapy present a promising regenerative approach, showing potential for hair cell regeneration and auditory function restoration.”
Moderate improvement in hearing function
Ganchi reported findings in the International Journal of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery May 2025 edition.
“This review highlights the substantial potential of stem cell therapy for congenital hearing loss, particularly in terms of cell regeneration and functional hearing recovery,” Ganchi wrote.
“Key findings include using gene therapy for cochlea cell reprogramming and using stem cells for hair cell regeneration.”
She said the future of stem cell therapy for hearing loss was “incredibly promising, especially with the integration of bioprinting, AI, and organoid technologies”.
“Moreover, the concept of combination therapies that pair stem cell-based regeneration with cochlear implants or other advanced treatments opens new frontiers in addressing the multifaceted challenges in the complexity of hearing restoration,” she wrote.
“With technological maturity, they have the potential to offer durable, scalable, and effective solutions for individuals with congenital hearing loss, improving both biological and functional outcomes.”
While preclinical models showed promising results and human clinical trials indicated moderate improvements in hearing function, the transition to human therapeutic intervention still required overcoming significant challenges, she said.
“Significant concerns of immune rejection, tumorigenesis, efficient cellular integration, and overcoming technical, ethical, and safety challenges remain crucial to realising the full therapeutic potential of stem cells in hearing restoration,” Ganchi wrote.
“Further research should include large-scale clinical trials, improved stem cell differentiation efficiency, refined gene editing technologies, and better delivery mechanisms, which are essential to realise the full therapeutic potential of stem cell intervention.”
Ganchi, who runs a private practice at Sunninghill Hospital, Johannesburg, did the review as part of her master’s thesis in clinical audiology and hearing therapy at the School of Advanced Education, Research and Accreditation, Castellon de la Plana, Spain.
