Development of a Clinically Viable Heroin Vaccine

by | Addiction

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jacs.7b03334

Paul T. Bremer† , Joel E. Schlosburg‡, Matthew L. Banks‡, Floyd. F. Steele‡, Bin Zhou†, Justin L. Poklis‡, and Kim D. Janda*

Heroin is a highly abused opioid and incurs a significant detriment to society worldwide. In an effort to expand the limited pharmacotherapy options for opioid use disorders, a heroin conjugate vaccine was developed through comprehensive evaluation of hapten structure, carrier protein, adjuvant and dosing. Immunization of mice with an optimized heroin-tetanus toxoid (TT) conjugate formulated with adjuvants alum and CpG oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) generated heroin “immunoantagonism”, reducing heroin potency by >15-fold. Moreover, the vaccine effects proved to be durable, persisting for over eight months. The lead vaccine was effective in rhesus monkeys, generating significant and sustained antidrug IgG titers in each subject. Characterization of both mouse and monkey antiheroin antibodies by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) revealed low nanomolar antiserum affinity for the key heroin metabolite, 6-acetylmorphine (6AM), with minimal cross reactivity to clinically used opioids. Following a series of heroin challenges over six months in vaccinated monkeys, drug-sequestering antibodies caused marked attenuation of heroin potency (>4-fold) in a schedule-controlled responding (SCR) behavioral assay. Overall, these preclinical results provide an empirical foundation supporting the further evaluation and potential clinical utility of an effective heroin vaccine in treating opioid use disorders.

NBA

The “game changer” in this is the phrase; “with minimal cross reactivity to clinically used opioids”!  This means that other opiates used in a medical setting will still be effective.

Talk about the “Holy Grail” of heroin research! We’re talking about a method to block heroin & it’s clinically active metabolite ((6AM) for a period of 8 months or more with preserved activity of medically administered opiates.  Somebody with acute pain, surgery, a broken bone, whatever can still get relief of pain but “they sure don’t make heroin like they used to!” for the abusers!!

Dr. Raymond Oenbrink
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