Hough Ear Institute

What Hough Ear Institute does

Hough Ear Institute (HEI) is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit research organization headquartered at 3400 NW 56th Street in Oklahoma City, founded in its current form in 1996 (with origins under the Baptist Medical Center Foundation in the 1980s). Its mission is to restore hearing worldwide through research, teaching, and humanitarian efforts, and it operates with a lean team of roughly nine staff including a CEO, Director of Research, research scientists, and development/marketing personnel.

HEI's core R&D work centers on two lead therapeutic candidates that address hearing loss and tinnitus at the cellular level rather than through device-based solutions. NHPN-1010 is an oral combination of the antioxidant HPN-07 with N-acetylcysteine (NAC), developed jointly with the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF), that has completed Phase I safety trials for noise- and blast-induced hearing loss, tinnitus, and hyperacusis and is being expanded into neurodegenerative indications via Tau protein modulation. AOK-1 is a middle-ear injection using siRNA-loaded nanoparticles that regenerates damaged cochlear hair cells in animal models and has been licensed outward to Otologic Pharmaceutics, Inc. (OPI) for clinical development. Complementing the research, HEI delivers the HoughAid program (refurbished hearing aids and audiology services for low-income Oklahoma adults), free community hearing screenings, tinnitus support groups, humanitarian surgical training (active in 80+ countries), and STEM outreach via OSU-OKC.

Revenue is not generated from product sales. HEI's financial model combines charitable donations (including a Hough Heroes monthly program, planned giving, and a 2026 Jasco match up to $100,000), government and foundation research grants (NIH, Office of Naval Research, OCAST, AHRF, OSMA Foundation), corporate sponsorships, and a $40M Forever Fund Endowment being raised through the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. Future royalty income is contingent on OPI securing a pharmaceutical partner to fund the estimated ~$500M Phase II/III program for NHPN-1010, after a 2020 partner returned the license to focus on oncology. Customers are therefore primarily donors, grant-making bodies, the institutional licensee OPI, and humanitarian/service recipients.

Name

Hough Ear Institute

Legal name

Hough Ear Institute

Website

https://houghear.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hough Ear Institute is an Oklahoma City-based 501(c)(3) non-profit research institute developing hearing-restoration therapeutics (NHPN-1010, AOK-1) and delivering free hearing aids, screenings, and humanitarian ENT training. It is funded by donations, research grants, and a $40M endowment campaign.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-Profit Hearing Loss Research & Therapeutics

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Otology & Neurotology (Ear/Hearing/Balance) (HLAKAMAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Audiology & Hearing Services (ENT-Affiliated) (HLAKAMAI)

Keywords

• Hearing loss research
• Otology therapeutics
• Cochlear hair cell regeneration
• Antioxidant hearing protection
• Non-profit medical research

Headquarters

HQ city

Oklahoma City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: HEI is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that relies on donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations. They have a Hough Heroes monthly donor program and accept various donation types including stocks, real estate, vehicles, and planned gifts.
2. Research Grants: HEI receives grants from government agencies (NIH, Office of Naval Research, OCAST) and foundations to fund research programs. MidFirst Bank donated $100,000 toward the $40M Research Endowment Campaign.
3. Licensing Royalties: HEI licenses its therapeutic technologies (NHPN-1010, AOK-1) to pharmaceutical partners for clinical development, generating potential royalty income upon successful commercialization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Hough Ear Institute is an independent non-profit research organization developing proprietary therapeutics for hearing loss and tinnitus, including the NHPN-1010 oral protection pill and the AOK-1 siRNA nanoparticle regeneration injection. It complements its research with humanitarian programs: free refurbished hearing aids for low-income Oklahoma adults (HoughAid), tinnitus support groups, community hearing screenings, science education camps, and international surgical training missions.

Product overview

Hough Ear Institute is a non-profit medical research organization developing two main therapeutic technologies: NHPN-1010 (an oral protection pill combining HPN-07 and NAC for noise/blast-induced hearing loss, tinnitus, and potential neurodegenerative disease treatment) and AOK-1 (a siRNA nanoparticle injection for regenerating cochlear hair cells and restoring natural hearing). Complementing these therapeutics, HEI operates the HoughAid program providing refurbished hearing aids to low-income adults, offers tinnitus support through the Tinnitus Together group, runs education/outreach via the Hearing Health Initiative, and conducts humanitarian medical training programs internationally. The portfolio combines pharmaceutical research with humanitarian assistance to address hearing loss from multiple angles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Forever Fund Endowment: The Forever Fund Endowment Fund ensures income to support the mission, invested for long-term growth. Goal is $40 million to fund research innovations.
• HoughAid

Products and services

• NHPN-1010 (Protection Pill) Oral therapeutic combining HPN-07 and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) designed to repair nerve endings, protect inner-ear structure after blast or acoustic trauma, treat tinnitus, and potentially address traumatic brain injury. Completed Phase I clinical trials for safety; licensing partner seeking Phase II/III pharmaceutical partner.
• AOK-1 (Regeneration Injection) Middle-ear injection using siRNA nanoparticle technology to regenerate damaged or lost cochlear hair cells and restore natural hearing function. Has restored hearing in noise-deafened animal models and is licensed to a pharmaceutical company for further clinical development.
• HoughAid Free hearing-aid program providing refurbished digital hearing aids and full audiology services to qualifying low-income Oklahoma adults aged 19 and older with household incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.
• Tinnitus Together Peer support group for individuals living with chronic tinnitus, offered in partnership with the American Tinnitus Association and Transforming Life Counseling Center, providing community connection and shared experiences for managing tinnitus-related challenges.
• Hearing Health Initiative Free hearing screenings and educational sessions offered to schools, businesses, community groups, and workplaces to promote hearing health awareness and prevention of noise-induced hearing loss.
• Hough Science Day Camp Free one-day STEAM camp partnership with OSU-OKC for Oklahoma middle school students (ages 11-14), featuring hands-on labs in anatomy, molecular science, engineering, forensic science, sound science, and creative arts.
• Humanitarian Medical Training and Outreach International medical training programs teaching surgical techniques to physicians in developing countries, including otology fellowships, temporal bone dissection courses, hearing screening missions, and direct surgical assistance in underserved regions such as Jordan, Kenya, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, Vietnam, Zaire, and Zimbabwe.

Quantifiable outcome

• Phase I clinical trials completed for NHPN-1010 showing safety and tolerability
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOMRF co-developed NHPN-1010 with HEI. OMRF and HEI developed the therapeutic for hearing loss, with HEI funding much of the pre-clinical research.
• Otologic Pharmaceutics, Inc. (OPI)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerOPI is HEI's commercialization partner working to advance NHPN-1010 through FDA approval. OPI secured a pharmaceutical partner for Phase II testing in 2020, but that company shifted focus to cancer research and returned the license. OPI is now seeking a new partner for continued development.
• OSU-Oklahoma CitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with OSU-OKC to host the annual Hough Science Day Camp, a free STEAM experience for Oklahoma middle school students. The camp provides hands-on science education and career exposure.
• SSM Health OtologyminorOthersSSM Health Otology clinic operates in HEI's building, providing otology services to patients. Not a formal partnership but a co-location arrangement.
• Audio Recovery, Inc.minorOthersAudiology clinic operating in HEI's building providing hearing healthcare services including hearing tests and hearing aid fitting.
• American Tinnitus AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for the Tinnitus Together support group, co-leading sessions with Transforming Life Counseling Center.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Frequency Therapeutics: Biotech developing small-molecule therapeutics to regenerate cochlear hair cells for hearing loss. Closely comparable to HEI's AOK-1 program in mechanism (inner ear regeneration) and indication.
• Pipeline Therapeutics: Biotech developing small molecules that target inner ear hair cell regeneration — closely aligned with HEI's AOK-1 siRNA regeneration approach.
• Otonomy: Clinical-stage biotech developing therapeutics for diseases and disorders of the inner ear, including hearing loss and tinnitus. Similar therapeutic focus and clinical-stage orientation.
• Decibel Therapeutics: Clinical-stage biotech focused on discovering and developing therapeutics to treat hearing loss and tinnitus — directly comparable to HEI's mission across NHPN-1010 and AOK-1.

Emerging players

• Sensorion: French clinical-stage biotech developing therapies for hearing loss disorders, including inner ear delivery platforms. Conceptually adjacent to HEI's inner ear therapeutic delivery work.
• Sound Pharmaceuticals: Clinical-stage company developing novel therapeutics for hearing loss and tinnitus. Comparable translational research focus, though targeting different mechanisms (e.g., oxidative stress).

Others

• American Tinnitus Association: Non-profit dedicated to tinnitus research, education, and advocacy — including direct tinnitus research HEI conducts. Geographic overlap (U.S.) and mission overlap (tinnitus support/research).

Broad incumbents

• Cochlear Limited: Global leader in implantable hearing devices. Operates in the same addressable market (hearing restoration) but uses a device-based model rather than therapeutic regeneration.

Regional players

• Hearing Health Foundation: U.S.-based non-profit funding hearing and balance research and education. Comparable organizational model to HEI as a hearing-focused research non-profit, though broader in scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCKR3Ds785Y7xl1qE3CQlc2Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/houghear
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hough-ear-institute
• Instagraminstagram.com/houghearinstitute
• Xx.com/HoughEar

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hough Ear Institute