A physician at Nemours Children's Health in Jacksonville was the first in the United Statesto administer a groundbreaking gene therapy for inherited hearing loss.
The gene therapy, called Otarmeni, has since been approved by theU.S. Food and Drug Administration as the "first and only treatment for a rare form of inherited hearing loss," according to Nemours.
Dr. Evie Landry performed the procedure in June 2024 at Wolfson Children’s Hospitalon a 4-year-old boy born with profound hearing loss, as part of a clinical trial.
"The child's results were remarkable. Within weeks, his family reported he was responding to sounds he had never heard before," Nemours said. "Follow-up testing showed his hearing improved to levels where he could detect whispers.
The [FDA] approval marks a major advance in the treatment of genetic hearing loss and could help pave the way for gene therapies targeting many of the approximately 300 genes associated with deafness."
In March another Nemours physician administered the gene therapy to an 18-month-old girl who began "responding to sounds in her environment," the hospital said.
Nemours was one of nine sites nationwide participating in the trial, which was reported in The New England Journal of Medicine.
After the gene therapy infusion into the inner ear, 80% of participants "achieved or surpassed a pre-determined goal of improved hearing," Nemours said, and 42% "achieved hearing levels that allowed them to detect whispers."
"We hope that this trial provides the scientific foundation for a new paradigm in the molecular diagnosis and treatment of hearing loss. If successful … this will pave the way for a myriad of genetic conditions, potentially changing the lives of children with hearing loss around the world," Landry said.
Dr. Matthew M. Davis, Nemours executive vice president, enterprise physician-in-chief and chief scientific officer, said, "Clinical trials are the driver of scientific progress, ensuring safety and efficacy of new therapies for patients young and old."
The gene therapy treatment is among the latest developments in Northeast Florida's burgeoning health care industry. Here are some more medical updates for the area.
UF Health Jacksonville
UF Health Jacksonville has unveiled a new mobile health unit to bring essential health services directly into neighborhoods throughout Jacksonville and Northeast Florida.
The unit's first public event will be 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 26 at Wayman Temple, 1176 LaBelle St. near Cassat Avenue. The initial pilot program calls for about three community deployments a month, with four- to five-hour visits, at recurring locations such as housing authorities, community and senior centers and other community sites.
"Access to health care is about more than having excellent services available, it’s about making sure people can reach those services when and where they need them," said Patrick L. Green, senior vice president and Northeast Florida regional president of UF Health.
Many area residents experience barriers to health care access, such as transportation, work schedules, cost, geography and other social factors. The new unit will tear down those barriers.
"This mobile medical unit allows us to extend our reach beyond the walls of our hospitals and clinics and into the communities we are privileged to serve," Green said. "It is another important step in our commitment to improving health and advancing the well-being of people throughout Northeast Florida."
The unit has two private exam rooms and technology for patient care, health screenings, education and telehealth. Services include blood pressure, glucose and other health screenings; health assessments and prevention; health education; referrals to primary and specialty care; and food and nutrition resources when available, among other things.
Services may vary by location. As the pilot program develops, existing services will be expanded and new ones introduced. Potential future service areas include Duval, Clay, Nassau, Baker and surrounding counties.
"This first deployment … will help UF Health evaluate operations and community needs as the mobile health unit expands its presence throughout Jacksonville," according to the hospital. "The unit is part of UF Health Jacksonville’s continued commitment to improving access to care and reducing barriers for underserved communities."
To register or request a mobile unit visit to a particular location, email UFHJ_CommRelations@jax.ufl.edu. Walk-in patients are welcome.
Ascension St. Vincent's Riverside
Andrew Gnann has been named president and CEO of Ascension St. Vincent’s Riverside hospital effective Sept. 14.
Gnann is currently president of Ascension Seton Williamson in Central Texas. He and his twin brother were born at a St. Vincent's hospital in Alabama and he began his health care career at St. Vincent's.
"I am grateful for the opportunity to join the Northeast Florida community and continue a career that has been shaped by Ascension’s mission," Gnann said. “My story with St. Vincent's started the day I was born, so stepping into this role carries real meaning for me.
"There is a remarkable legacy here, built by the Daughters of Charity and generations of associates who came before us. I take the responsibility of stewarding that history and carrying it forward very seriously," he said.
Gnann's first health care job was as an administrative resident at Ascension St. Vincent’s East in Birmingham. After holding several leadership positions, he eventually led the hospital as president.
"Andrew brings extensive operational experience and an understanding of what it means to lead within Ascension," said Scott Kashman, CEO of Ascension St. Vincent’s Health System. "His experience leading teams and operations in multiple Ascension markets will allow him to step into this role with a strong foundation and focus immediately on the needs of the community."
Send Northeast Florida health care news to bcravey@jacksonville.com.
Beth Reese Cravey has been a reporter for The Florida Times-Union for 45 years, currently specializing in nonprofits and health. She can be reached at bcravey@jacksonville.com.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Nemours hearing therapy, UF Health mobile unit, new St. V's president
