Addresses the root cause of the all-too-common noisy restaurant problem
ANN ARBOR, Mich., November 18, 2025 -- Soundbites, a public benefit corporation dedicated to hearing preservation for everyone, today announces the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued another milestone patent, covering methods to restore hearing sensitivity by targeting the myelin of the auditory nerve. This key event builds on decades of research by Dr. Josef Miller at the University of Michigan Medical School and underlines the expanding scope of Soundbites’ signature auditory neuroscience achievement, ACEMg®.
“Dr. Miller’s work has consistently advanced our understanding of how hearing can be preserved and restored,” says Barry Seifer, founder and CEO of Soundbites. “This patent demonstrates ACEMg’s impact, which extends beyond preservation of hearing thresholds. It now encompasses innovations targeting the very nerve structures that facilitate precise sound processing, particularly in noisy places.”
Referring to the ability to detect and interpret sounds across frequencies and volumes, hearing sensitivity includes critical aspects like auditory threshold, frequency discrimination, and temporal processing.
The auditory nerve, or cochlea, is a bundle of fibers that transmits electrical signals from the inner ear to the brain. Myelin is a fatty insulating layer that wraps around nerve fibers, allowing electrical impulses to travel quickly and efficiently. This myelin sheath is crucial for transmitting electrical signals from the inner ear to the brain.
Adding to Soundbites’ growing intellectual property portfolio, patents already include claims for improving hearing thresholds and reducing dementia risk in at-risk individuals with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). These achievements are supported by real-world evidence (RWE) from ongoing studies, including the IRB-approved OTIS Study, evaluating the clinical effectiveness of ACEMg on tinnitus and hyperacusis in adults.
SNHL is one of the most prevalent chronic disabilities worldwide, affecting more than 1.5 billion people. Additionally, more than 1 billion young adults are at risk due to prolonged exposure to loud sounds. Interventions that preserve or restore auditory nerve function are increasingly recognized as vital for both hearing and cognitive health.
For more information on ACEMg, hearing preservation, or participation in the OTIS study (limited initially to 200 adults aged 18+ residing in the U.S.), please visit soundbites.com.
About Soundbites
Soundbites is a public benefit corporation dedicated to evidence-based hearing preservation, developing nutritional interventions backed by independent research and real-world evidence designed to support inner ear health and help people maintain the hearing they have.
Hearing loss affects more than a billion people worldwide, with even more at risk. Emerging research links it to cognitive decline. Our mission is to make daily hearing care affordable, accessible to everyone, anywhere, and grounded in science, so prevention becomes as routine as protecting your skin from the sun.
Business inquiries: Barry Seifer, barry@soundbites.com
Media contact: Julie Fogerson, julie@soundbites.com
