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New fentanyl vaccine could prevent deadly opioid from reaching the brain
A research team led by the University of Houston has developed a vaccine that targets the dangerous synthetic opioid fentanyl, which could block its ability to enter the brain, eliminating the drug's "high." The groundbreaking discovery could have a major impact on the country's opioid epidemic by becoming a relapse prevention tool for people trying to stop using opioids. While research shows that Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) is treatable, an estimated 80% of drug addicts will relapse. The results, published in the journal Pharmaceutics, could not be more timely and in demand...
New fentanyl vaccine could prevent deadly opioid from reaching the brain
A research team led by the University of Houston has developed a vaccine that targets the dangerous synthetic opioid fentanyl, which could block its ability to enter the brain, eliminating the drug's "high." The groundbreaking discovery could have a major impact on the country's opioid epidemic by becoming a relapse prevention tool for people trying to stop using opioids. While research shows that Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) is treatable, an estimated 80% of drug addicts will relapse.
The findings, published in the journal Pharmaceutics, couldn't be more timely and in-demand: Over 150 people die every day from overdoses of synthetic opioids, including fentanyl, which is 50 times more powerful than heroin and 100 times more powerful than morphine. Consuming about 2 milligrams of fentanyl (the size of two grains of rice) is likely fatal, depending on body size.
We believe these findings could have significant impact on a very serious problem that has plagued society for years - opioid abuse. Our vaccine is able to generate anti-fentanyl antibodies that bind to the ingested fentanyl and prevent it from entering the brain, allowing it to be eliminated from the body via the kidneys. Thus, the individual will not feel the euphoric effects and can get back on the wagon to sobriety.”
Colin Haile, lead author of the study, research associate professor of psychology at UH and the Texas Institute for Measurement, Evaluation and Statistics (TIMES), and founding member of the UH Drug Discovery Institute
Another positive finding was that the vaccine did not cause any adverse side effects in the immunized rats involved in laboratory studies. The team plans to begin producing a clinical-grade vaccine in the coming months, with human clinical trials planned soon.
Fentanyl is a particularly dangerous threat because it is often added to street drugs like cocaine, methamphetamine, and other opioids like oxycodone and hydrocodone/acetaminophen pills, and even counterfeit benzodiazepines like Xanax. These counterfeit drugs laced with fentanyl are increasing the number of fentanyl overdoses in people who do not normally use opioids.
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"The anti-fentanyl antibodies were specific for fentanyl and a fentanyl derivative and did not cross-react with other opioids such as morphine. This means that a vaccinated person could still be treated with other opioids for pain relief," Haile said.
The vaccine being tested contains an E. coli-derived adjuvant called dmLT. An adjuvant molecule enhances the immune system's response to vaccines, a critical component for the effectiveness of addiction vaccines. The adjuvant was developed by collaborators at the Tulane University School of Medicine and has been shown to be critical to the vaccine's effectiveness. Also on the team are Greg Cuny, Joseph P. & Shirley Shipman Buckley Endowed Professor of Drug Discovery at the UH College of Pharmacy, along with researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and the Michael E. DeBakey Veteran's Affairs Medical Center.
Current treatments for OUD include methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone, and their effectiveness depends on formulation, compliance, access to medication, and the specific opioid being abused.
Theresekosten, professor of psychology and director of the Developmental, Cognitive & Behavioral Neuroscience program at UH, calls the new vaccine a potential “game changer.”
“Fentanyl use and overdose is a unique treatment challenge that is not adequately addressed with current medications due to their pharmacodynamics, and treatment of acute overdose with the short-acting naloxone is not adequately effective because multiple doses of naloxone are often required to reverse the lethal effects of fentanyl,” said Kosten, senior author of the study.
The study was funded by the Department of Defense through the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Disorders Program, managed by RTI International's Pharmacotherapies for Alcohol and Substance Use Disorders Alliance, which funded Haile's lab for several years to develop the anti-fentanyl vaccine.
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Reference:
Haile, C.N., et al. (2022) An immunoconjugate vaccine alters the distribution and reduces the antinociceptive, behavioral and physiological effects of fentanyl in male and female rats. Pharmacy. doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics14112290.
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