Oto awarded £500k from Innovate UK to advance tinnitus teletherapy
Oto, a provider of digital tinnitus programs, has been awarded a grant for £500,000 from Innovate UK, the UK government's innovation agency. The funding will be dedicated to scientific research to help develop tinnitus teletherapy services and validate Oto’s app.
This research will be conducted in collaboration with the Maths in Health & Oxford Pharmagenesis, the University of Cambridge and Lindus Health.
Tinnitus is a condition where a person hears noises in their ears or head, which are not caused by an external source. It affects millions of people worldwide and can have a significant impact on their quality of life. Oto's therapy techniques aim to stop tinnitus from impacting their lives and helps them get their lives back from the condition.
Dr Edmund Farrar, CEO of Oto, said: "We are thrilled to receive this highly competitive grant from Innovate UK which is only awarded to 5% of applicants. This funding will allow us to collaborate with world leading tinnitus researchers and work towards proving the effectiveness of our app, improving the services we can offer and extend our reach to help even more people living with tinnitus."
The research will focus on measuring the effectiveness of Oto's therapy techniques in reducing the impact of tinnitus on users' lives. The study will involve a group of participants who will receive the therapy and be monitored over a period of time. The data collected from the study will be used to validate the clinical & cost effectiveness of Oto’s tinnitus therapy and developing a coaching service.
Mr Matthew Smith, academic ENT surgeon at the University of Cambridge, said: "We are excited to work with Oto to conduct this research. Tinnitus is a challenging condition to manage, and we hope this study will provide valuable insights into how we can improve the lives of people with this condition."
The research is set to begin in June 2023, and the results from the trial are expected to be published in early 2025.