New approach to treatment of drug dependence, vaccine that cocaine does not work is near completion

cocaineIntoImmunityIn other words, when cocaine intrudes into the body by inhalation or the like, it is recognized as "enemy" and blocks and prevents reaching the brain, so that it becomes a body that can not become high in cocainevaccineIt is said that the development is progressing and the mouse experiment was successful.

In addition to being expected to be applied to human cocaine dependence treatment, in the future it will work "cocaine vaccine on the same principle"morphineVaccines "and"nicotineVaccines "and it is also possible to make vaccines of various dependent substances.

Details are as below.News | Weill Cornell Medical College | Cornell University

Cornell UniversityProfessor of genetic medicine at medical school This "cocaine vaccine" developed by Dr. Ronald G. Crystal et al. Is one of common cold pathogensAdenovirusWith chemical substances that closely resemble cocaine. As with other small molecule drugs, cocaine is not recognized as "enemy" by the immune system as it is, but by sticking to the virus of a cold already remembered as "enemy", it is "hanging with the enemy It is remembered as if he is an enemy. "When he comes next time, he is recognized as an" intruder to be eliminated "even if he is not with a virus, is surrounded and attacked, and it can not reach the brain.

It was made to bind to the part of "cocaine-like structure" in "cocaine vaccine"antibodyIt also binds to cocaine. Cocaine, which closely resembles the one remembered as "enemy", is encountered mistakenly for the first time even though it is "he is the one before me!", So that when cocaine is administered it is not effective.

Even if you use cocaine itself you can make a vaccine with the same principle, but Ronald G. Crystal and colleagues used similar substances that are more stable than cocaine and highly effective to make immunity. The adenovirus used in the vaccine is detoxified leaving only the part recognized by the immune system, so there is no worry of causing a symptom of a cold at the time of vaccine administration.

When this vaccine was administered to the experimental mouse (non-genetically engineered), a strong immune reaction was confirmed, and it seems that the produced antibody surrounded and cocaine the cocaine steadily in the test tube. Next, we tested the effect of the vaccine on the behavior of the mouse and confirmed that the vaccinated mice had much lower hyperactivity when ingesting cocaine than the mice not receiving the vaccine. The effect of the vaccine was also seen in mice repeatedly administered cocaine in large amounts repeatedly. Also, it seems that the effect of the vaccine lasted until the end of the experimental period (13 weeks after inoculation).

Professor Crystal predicts that human experiments are still to be done, but if humans can achieve the same effect as a mouse, it will be most effective for those already willing to depend on cocaine and want to abort bad habits I will. Also in the future it may be possible to create a similar vaccine against a variety of dependent substances such as heroin and nicotine.

"There have been attempts to form immunity against cocaine, but our vaccine is the first approach we can quickly proceed to human trials without having to repeatedly administer costly drugs "Professor Crystal says. Efficacy and safety for human beings confirmedFDAIf you can get approval of it, it may be the world's first 'drug-dependent vaccine'.