What Rinri Therapeutics does

Rinri Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing first-in-class regenerative cell therapies for sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). The company is headquartered at the Innovation Centre in Sheffield, United Kingdom, and was spun out of the University of Sheffield in 2019 based on Professor Marcelo Rivolta's foundational research into sensory stem cell biology, originally published in Nature in 2012. Around 90% of all hearing loss is sensorineural, and Rinri targets the neural component - auditory neuron damage - which cannot be addressed by existing hearing aids or cochlear implants. The company addresses a UK patient population estimated at 2.3 million with presbycusis and 13.5 million with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder, within a global market of 430 million people with disabling hearing loss projected to reach 2.5 billion by 2050.

The company's core technology is the proprietary OSPREY platform, which reprograms pluripotent cells into early-stage auditory cells (otic neural progenitors) for therapeutic use. Lead product Rincell-1 comprises auditory neuron cells one developmental stage from maturity, derived from stem cells donated by a single human donor and stored in a stem cell bank. Rincell-2 targets the same neural replacement mechanism via alternative starting cells, while Rincell-3 focuses on auditory hair cell replacement. Preclinical work demonstrated approximately 40% hearing threshold improvement, and the company has funded research verifying safe surgical access to the central core of the human cochlea through an international coalition. Rincell-1 received UK MHRA approval for first-in-human trials in July 2025, MHRA Innovation Passport under ILAP, and FDA RMAT designation.

Rinri is currently pre-revenue with no commercial product pricing, generating no product revenue and operating with disclosed funding of £11.4 million in equity (a £1.4m seed round in May 2019 co-led by Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund and UCB Ventures, plus a £10m Series round in April 2021 from existing investors and the UK Government Future Fund) supplemented by Innovate UK grants and a $1m Grand Prize in October 2025. The go-to-market model is enterprise-direct: clinical trial delivery is conducted in partnership with NHS Cochlear Implant Programmes, and future commercialisation will target NHS trusts, hospitals, ENT surgeons, and audiologists in the UK, with regulatory pursuit in the US via FDA RMAT. Strategic ecosystem partners include Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult (manufacturing), Advanced Bionics (cochlear implant technology), NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, and the University of Sheffield's Rivolta Laboratory.

Name

Rinri Therapeutics

Legal name

Rinri Therapeutics Ltd

Website

https://rinri-therapeutics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rinri Therapeutics is a Sheffield-based, clinical-stage biotechnology company developing first-in-class regenerative cell therapies to reverse sensorineural hearing loss, with lead product Rincell-1 entering first-in-human trials for adults eligible for cochlear implants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regenerative Cell Therapy

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

akta.pro primary industry

Stem Cell–Based Regenerative Therapies (HLAAAGAA)

Keywords

• Regenerative cell therapy
• Hearing loss treatment
• Stem cell therapy
• Otic neural progenitors
• Sensorineural hearing loss

Headquarters

HQ city

Sheffield

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Therapeutic Product Revenue: Rinri Therapeutics is a clinical-stage company developing regenerative cell therapies. No revenue is currently generated. The company plans to commercialize its pipeline of cell therapy products (Rincell-1, Rincell-2, Rincell-3) for the treatment of sensorineural hearing loss once approved.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Rinri Therapeutics develops regenerative cell therapies for sensorineural hearing loss, with lead product Rincell-1 (otic neural progenitors derived from human pluripotent stem cells) designed to regenerate auditory neurons and restore cochlear connections. The portfolio is built on the proprietary OSPREY platform and targets an unmet medical need unaddressed by hearing aids or cochlear implants.

Product overview

Rinri Therapeutics is developing a portfolio of first-in-class regenerative cell therapies for sensorineural hearing loss based on its proprietary OSPREY technology platform. The lead product, Rincell-1, is an otic neural progenitor cell therapy designed to regenerate auditory neurons and is currently in first-in-human clinical trials. The portfolio includes Rincell-2 (a second auditory neuron replacement therapy using different cell types) and Rincell-3 (focused on hair cell replacement), both in earlier feasibility stages. The company leverages its platform to generate cells for hearing restoration by reprogramming pluripotent cells into early-stage auditory cells needed for treatment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• OSPREY: Proprietary platform for auditory cell development and manufacturing, enabling the development of a portfolio of differentiated products to tackle different aspects of hearing loss.
• Rincell-1
• Rincell-2
• Rincell-3

Products and services

• Rincell-1 A first-in-class regenerative cell therapy consisting of otic neural progenitors — cells one developmental stage away from becoming fully mature auditory neurons — generated from a single human donor's stem cells. Designed to regenerate auditory neurons and re-establish cochlear-to-brain connections in adults with severe-to-profound age-related hearing loss or auditory neuropathy who are eligible for cochlear implants under UK NICE guidance (TA566). In preclinical studies the cells reversed hearing loss and improved hearing threshold by approximately 40%.
• Rincell-2 Pipeline regenerative cell therapy programme targeting replacement of auditory neurons using a different type of starting cell than Rincell-1; currently at an earlier feasibility stage of development.
• Rincell-3 Pipeline regenerative cell therapy programme focused on auditory hair cell replacement for hearing restoration; currently in early feasibility stage of development.

Quantifiable outcome

• Improved hearing threshold by approximately 40% in preclinical studies
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered strategic and core.

• MytosstrategicTechnology or Integration · 4 September 2025Strategic manufacturing partnership to integrate Mytos' iDEM automated cell manufacturing platform across therapeutic applications including hearing loss, enabling scale-up from early clinical trials toward commercial-ready manufacturing.
• Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 November 2022Clinical partner for verified safe surgical access to central core of human cochlea. Professor Dan Jiang leads the Hearing Implant Centre at this institution.
• Cell and Gene Therapy CatapultcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 May 2021Collaboration to establish manufacturing processes and advance clinical trial techniques for stem cell therapy development.
• University of SheffieldcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRinri Therapeutics was spun out from the University of Sheffield based on Professor Marcelo Rivolta's research. Ongoing collaboration with Rivolta Laboratory for research and development.
• University of NottinghamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner with Professor Doug Hartley (Chief Medical Officer) from Nottingham University and Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust. Collaboration on cochlear health measurement research and clinical trials.
• NHS Cochlear Implant ProgramscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivery partner for first-in-human clinical trial of Rincell-1. Participants recruited through NHS cochlear implant centres in the UK.
• Advanced BionicsstrategicTechnology or IntegrationCollaboration on cochlear health measurement study using Advanced Bionics cochlear implant technology and AIM tablet system for daily self-assessment recordings by implant recipients.
• Uppsala University (Sweden)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research partner in coalition verifying safe surgical access to central core of human cochlea for therapeutic delivery.
• Western University (Canada)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research partner contributing data to vital research on cochlear microstructure enabling safe delivery of regenerative therapeutics.
• NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research CentrestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on ground-breaking study to measure cochlear health using cochlear implant technology, led by Professor Douglas Hartley.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Akouos: Gene therapy company developing treatments for sensorineural hearing loss, including inner ear hair cell and auditory nerve targets. Acquired by Eli Lilly in 2022 for $487M, making it the most directly comparable hearing loss therapeutic competitor to Rinri, with overlapping target indications and patient populations.
• Decibel Therapeutics: Clinical-stage biotechnology company developing gene therapies for hearing and balance disorders, including DB-OTO for otoferlin-related hearing loss. Acquired by Regeneron in 2023, positioning it as a direct competitor in the hearing loss therapeutic space with shared clinical-stage status and regenerative medicine approach.
• Frequency Therapeutics: Clinical-stage regenerative medicine company developing small-molecule approaches to activate progenitor cells for hearing restoration. While using a different modality (small molecules vs cell therapy), it targets the same indication (sensorineural hearing loss) with similar clinical-stage positioning.
• Otonomy: Clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of therapeutics for otology, including hearing loss and tinnitus. Targets similar ENT/otology indications with novel inner ear therapies, making it a relevant peer in the hearing loss therapeutic space.
• Sensorion: Clinical-stage biotech company developing therapies for hearing loss disorders, including sensorineural hearing loss and rare auditory diseases. Overlapping therapeutic focus on inner ear disorders with both small molecule and gene therapy programs.

Emerging players

• Pipeline Therapeutics: Biotechnology company developing regenerative therapies for hearing loss through small molecule approaches to regenerate hair cells. Represents an emerging alternative approach to hearing restoration with a different modality than Rinri's cell therapy but similar patient population.
• Hough Ear Institute: Non-profit research organisation developing regenerative therapies for hearing loss. Represents an emerging player in the regenerative hearing loss space with overlapping scientific goals but different organisational structure and funding model.

Broad incumbents

• Cochlear Limited: Global leader in implantable hearing solutions including cochlear implants. While not developing regenerative cell therapies, Cochlear is the established incumbent addressing severe-to-profound hearing loss—the primary indication Rinri targets—and represents the standard-of-care benchmark.
• MED-EL: Leading manufacturer of cochlear implant systems and hearing implant solutions. Serves as a broad incumbent in the hearing loss treatment space, providing the surgical infrastructure through which Rinri's Rincell-1 is delivered to patients.
• Advanced Bionics: Cochlear implant manufacturer and technology partner to Rinri for the cochlear health measurement study. Represents an established incumbent in the hearing implant space with overlapping clinical and patient engagement infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/rinriterap
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@rinritherapeutics
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rinri-therapeutics

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors5 records

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Rinri Therapeutics