Health

Regeneron to Offer Hearing-Loss Therapy for Free After FDA Nod

Sierra Smith and her son Travis.Source: Family of Travis Smith

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By Gerry Smith and Jeff Mason

April 23, 2026 at 3:44 PM UTC

Updated on

April 23, 2026 at 8:37 PM UTC

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. will offer a gene therapy that restored hearing for a small number of profoundly deaf children at no cost after US regulators approved the treatment.

The US approval for the therapy announced Thursday is a major milestone for some patients who for decades have relied on cochlear implants to experience sound. Only about 50 children are born in the US each year with hearing loss caused by the genetic variant it targets.