Skylark Bio began a new gene therapy trial for hearing restoration, dosing a first patient in a GJB2-targeted program aimed at restoring hearing in a child with a mutation in the gap junction beta-2 gene. The company’s entry follows the FDA approval earlier this year of Regeneron’s Otarmeni therapy for Otoferlin-related mutations. The development highlights how hearing-loss programs are expanding beyond Otoferlin into additional genetic causes. Skylark said it has dosed its first patient and is now moving through early clinical steps for the GJB2 cohort. For biotech stakeholders, the announcement reinforces the rapid commercialization pipeline for hereditary hearing loss and the competitive cadence of new gene therapy startups targeting distinct genetic subtypes.