Addiction vaccine in development
A new vaccine for the treatment of addiction is being developed partly in Britain. Dr Campbell Bunce, head of cellular immunology at Xenova,
outlined the development of the vaccine at the recent British Association
for the Advancement of Science’s Festival of Science in Salford.
The vaccine aims to prevent the relapse of recovering cocaine addicts
and smokers.
Preliminary trials have already been conducted on cocaine addicts in
the United States. Subjects were selected from counselling programmes
and underwent psychological and physiological assessment before cocaine
was administered under laboratory conditions. Although those in the sample
were not attempting to kick their addiction, future trials are planned
for people in recovery. Trial participants reported a diminished sense
of euphoria following a four-dose course of cocaine.
Dr Bunce explained that since both cocaine and nicotine are small molecules
the vaccines are created by combining active drug to large immunogenic
proteins, which are then injected into the individual to stimulate an
immunity. The formation of large antibody-antigen complexes following
cocaine or nicotine use then prevents passage of the drug across
the blood-brain barrier, preventing euphoric reactions.
Three vaccines for nicotine addiction are being developed (by Xenova,
United Kingdom, Nabi, US, and Cytos, Switzerland) and one for cocaine
addiction (by Xenova), all consisting of drug molecules linked to immunogenic
carrier protiens or viral particles. |
