Sensorion raises €60M to accelerate AAV gene therapies for genetic hearing loss

MONTPELLIER, FRANCE —January 28, 2026-French biotechnology company Sensorion announced today that it has raised €60 million (approximately $72 million) in a reserved offering to advance its AAV gene therapy pipeline for hearing loss, anchored by a €20 million strategic investment from Sanofi. The financing underscores growing confidence in AAV-based gene therapy approaches for inner ear disorders and extends Sensorion’s cash runway into the first half of 2027.

The remaining €40 million was subscribed by existing investors Redmile Group, Artal (advised by Invus), and Sofinnova Partners, alongside new investors including Cormorant Asset Management, Coastlands Capital, and Sphera Healthcare, all US-based healthcare specialist funds. Sensorion noted that settlement and delivery of the offering are expected around January 30, 2026, subject to customary conditions.

Sensorion’s pipeline is centered on AAV-mediated gene therapies designed to deliver durable gene expression in the inner ear following local administration. Its lead programs include SENS-501 (OTOF-GT) and SENS-601 (GJB2-GT), both AAV gene therapy candidates targeting well-defined genetic causes of hearing loss, alongside SENS-401, a first-in-class small-molecule therapy for sudden sensorineural hearing loss.

According to the company, the new capital will primarily support advancement of its AAV gene therapy programs, which represent key near- and mid-term value drivers. “With the additional capital, the company plans to intensify ongoing efforts to progress the research and development of SENS-601, including advancing the program into clinical development, and to continue the clinical development of the SENS-501 AAV gene therapy program,” said Nawal Ouzren, CEO of Sensorion, in a press release.

Near-term milestones include regulatory approval of Clinical Trial Application (CTA) and Investigational New Drug (IND) filings for SENS-601, followed by first patient enrollment. SENS-601 is an AAV-based gene therapy designed to treat congenital deafness, progressive hearing loss in children, and early presbycusis in adults caused by GJB2 mutations. In parallel, Sensorion expects a six-month clinical readout from the second cohort of the Phase 1/2 Audiogene trial evaluating SENS-501, an AAV gene therapy targeting otoferlin deficiency. The company also plans to disclose Phase 2a data from the Notoxis study of SENS-401 in cisplatin-induced ototoxicity.

The announcement comes amid rising global interest in gene therapy for hearing loss, particularly AAV-based gene therapy platforms that enable localized delivery to the cochlea. On the same day, Seamless Therapeutics disclosed a worldwide research and licensing agreement with Eli Lilly to develop a recombinase-based gene therapy for genetically driven hearing loss. While Seamless is pursuing a non-AAV, recombinase-driven approach, Sensorion continues to rely on well-established AAV vectors, which benefit from a longer clinical track record in humans.

Sensorion acknowledged the trade-offs inherent to AAV gene therapy, including the potential for immune responses that may limit redosing. However, early clinical experience has been encouraging. To date, three pediatric patients (aged 6 to 31 months) have been treated with SENS-501 AAV gene therapy, with the company reporting that intra-cochlear AAV administration was well tolerated and that no serious adverse events or serious side effects have been observed.

With strong support from existing investors and Sanofi’s strategic backing, Sensorion is now positioned to advance its AAV gene therapy portfolio through critical regulatory, clinical, and data milestones. The financing strengthens the company’s role in the rapidly evolving AAV gene therapy landscape for hearing loss, bringing AAV-based treatments for genetically defined auditory disorders closer to clinical and commercial reality.