University Of Houston Researchers Develop Breakthrough Fentanyl Vaccine That Could Block The Synthetic Opioid From Entering The Brain
The opioid epidemic has been a long-known and growing public health tragedy since the 1990s. Over the last three decades, though, the rise in opioid overdose deaths has had three distinct waves.
The first influx began in the 1990s when prescription opioids– made of natural and semi-synthetic opioids– were increasingly prescribed by physicians. In 2010, the second wave started amidst significant overdose deaths that involved heroin.
And finally, in 2013, the third and much more deadly wave began. The culprit was synthetic opioids, specifically those that contained illegally manufactured fentanyl.
According to the CDC, the death toll from these synthetic drugs equaled deaths caused by commonly prescribed opioids and heroin in 2015.
Since then, synthetic opioids have continued to claim more lives year over year and are by far the leading cause of opioid overdose deaths.
Although, a new breakthrough discovery made by researchers at the University of Houston may provide a novel way to curb the nation’s opioid epidemic.
The team, led by Colin Haile– founding member of the UH Drug Discovery Institute– developed a vaccine that can target fentanyl and possibly block the drug’s ability to enter the brain. In turn, the opioid’s “high” would be eliminated.
The researchers are confident that this vaccine could now be used as a relapse prevention tool for people who are trying to stop using opioids.
This is monumental– because even though Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) is treatable, eighty percent of people seeking to get clean will ultimately suffer a relapse.
Yakobchuk Olena – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual person
The vaccination is essentially able to create anti-fentanyl antibodies, which will bind to any consumed fentanyl– in turn preventing the drug’s entry into the brain and allowing it to be excreted from the body through the kidneys.
“Thus, the individual will not feel euphoric effects and can ‘get back on the wagon’ to sobriety,” Haile said.
Additionally, the vaccine was not found to cause any adverse side effects after it was tested on immunized rats via lab studies. So, the team hopes to begin manufacturing a clinical-grade vaccine over the coming months and begin human clinical trials.
Fentanyl is particularly dangerous because aside from some opioid users seeking it out, the drug is also often laced into other street drugs– including methamphetamine, cocaine, benzodiazepines such as Xanax, and other opioids. So, the synthetic drug is also contributing to death among people who do not normally use opioids– another avenue in which the team’s new vaccine could be instrumental.
“The anti-fentanyl antibodies were specific to fentanyl and a fentanyl derivative and did not cross-react with other opioids, such as morphine. This means a vaccinated person would still be able to be treated for pain relief with other opioids,” Haile explained.
The vaccine specifically contains an E. coli adjuvant known as dmLT. Adjuvant molecules boost the immune system response to vaccines– a key factor in anti-addition vaccine effectiveness.
To read the study’s complete findings, which have since been published in MDPI, visit the link here.
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