Scientists in Brazil have announced the development of a cutting-edge new method to treat addiction to stimulants and methamphetamine based on a vaccine.
Scientists research the Calixcoca vaccine. Photo: AFP
Called “Calixcoca,” the experimental vaccine triggers an immune response that blocks cocaine and methamphetamine from reaching the brain, helping users break the cycle of addiction. In other words, they will no longer feel the high they get from using stimulants. If the treatment is approved, it will be the first time cocaine addiction has been treated with a vaccine, according to psychiatrist Frederico Garcia, coordinator of the vaccine development team at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, AFP reported on October 26.
The vaccine project won the $530,000 Euro Health Innovation Prize, funded by pharmaceutical company Eurofarma. The vaccine works by prompting patients’ immune systems to produce antibodies that bind to cocaine molecules in the bloodstream, making them too large to enter the brain’s pleasure pathway, or “reward circuit.” This is where stimulants typically mimic the rush of dopamine that produces pleasure. Similar research was conducted in the United States, the world’s top cocaine consumer, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. But the research stalled when clinical trials failed to produce the expected results, among other reasons.
So far, Calixcoca has been effective in animal testing, producing large amounts of antibodies against cocaine with very few side effects. It also protected mouse embryos from cocaine, suggesting it could be used in humans to protect unborn babies whose mothers are addicted. The vaccine is now entering the final stages of human testing. According to Garcia, Calixcoca could reshape addiction treatment.
Calixcoca could help patients at a critical stage of recovery, such as when they leave rehab. The vaccine is made with lab-designed chemical compounds rather than biological materials, so it is cheaper to produce than many other vaccines and does not require refrigeration.
The exact target audience will depend on the results of the clinical trials, but in theory, Calixcoca would be suitable for recovering addicts who want to stay off cocaine. The team’s goal is to change a sad statistic. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, one in four people who regularly use cocaine become addicted, and only one in four are successfully clean after five years of treatment. More than 3,000 people have contacted the team to volunteer for the clinical trial.
An Khang (According to AFP )
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