GROUND-BREAKING NEW THERAPY IN DEVELOPMENT FOR PREVENTION OF CHILDHOOD EAR INFECTIONS
Middle ear infections are a major concern for young children in Australia with the cascading impacts on health and social outcomes especially devastating for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
Associate Professor Lea-Ann Kirkham, the recipient of a five-year Health Research grant from the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation, is leading a team of experts at the Telethon Kids Institute (TKI) in developing a ground-breaking new therapy for the prevention of childhood ear infections.
Middle ear infections (known in the medical community as Otitis Media or OM) are among the most prevalent conditions affecting young children in Australia and are a leading cause of families seeking GP visits, antibiotic prescriptions and surgeries for their children.
A/Prof Kirkham said that for the one-in-four children who experience recurring or chronic ear infections, the condition results in sleepless nights, constant trips to the doctor and pharmacy, and appointments with specialists (such as Audiologists and Ear Nose and Throat surgeons) that take a considerable toll on the whole family.
“Waitlists for surgery to treat these recurrent/chronic ear infections are up to two years from the time of diagnosis, which is an unacceptably long time for children to wait, often with pain and reduced hearing,” said A/Prof Kirkham.
The cascading impacts of ear infections on health and social outcomes are especially devastating for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, who experience the highest reported rates of OM-associated hearing loss in the world, and generally have less access to treatment and support services.
If left untreated, ear infections can have a profound and lasting impact on a child’s life, causing hearing loss during a vital stage of their development and subsequently impacting their ability and potential to learn, communicate and take part in education.
As a result of their extensive research into the causes of ear disease in children and a frustrating lack of preventative solutions, A/Prof Kirkham and her team are developing Spritz-OM™ — a low-cost nasal spray to prevent childhood ear infections (www.spritz-OM.com).
“Like a probiotic for the nose, Spritz-OM delivers ‘friendly bacteria’ into the nose to guard the middle ear against infection. It is currently in the manufacturing phase, with stage one of clinical trials set to begin in 2024, followed by further testing to determine effectiveness in children,” said A/Prof Kirkham.
By targeting the root cause of this widespread problem, Spritz-OM could be life-changing for the hundreds of millions of children worldwide who experience ear infections every year. A/Prof Kirkham’s work is an outstanding example of the ground-breaking research supported by the Foundation’s Health Research grants — and brings hope for an affordable treatment allowing children to lead happier, healthier lives.
For more information on Spritz-OM™, including ways to support commercial development, please contact the team at commercialisation@telethonkids.org.au or visit www.spritz-OM.com.
Published: August 2023