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After 50 Years of Failed Attempts, Is a Drug Vaccine Close?
Developing
In Short: After decades of research, a fentanyl vaccine is showing early promise in human trials, generating antibodies that could prevent the drug's euphoric effects and reduce overdose risks.
After 50 years of research, a fentanyl vaccine called Fentanyl Armour is showing early promise in human trials, according to Medscape. The vaccine, developed by ARMR Sciences, generated anti-fentanyl antibodies in a phase 1/2 trial, marking the first time such antibodies have been measured in humans.
The vaccine worked in two-thirds of recipients, but the agency required an intent-to-treat analysis before final approval. Researchers at the University of Washington are also developing a multivalent vaccine targeting oxycodone, heroin, and fentanyl, expanding the potential impact of vaccine-based treatments.
Kim Janda, PhD, a professor of chemistry at Scripps Research, first published on a fentanyl vaccine in 2016. At the time, he struggled to secure funding and faced skepticism. However, with the rise of potent fentanyl analogs like carfentanil in the illicit drug supply, interest in the vaccine has surged.
Colin Haile, PhD, a research associate professor of psychology at the University of Houston and co-founder of ARMR Sciences, explained that the vaccine works by training the immune system to intercept fentanyl before it reaches the brain, preventing euphoric effects and reducing overdose risks. Seth Toback, MD, ARMR’s chief medical officer, noted that naloxone is becoming less effective against these potent forms of fentanyl.
Janda emphasized that the vaccine does not treat addiction and should not be seen as a cure. He noted that the vaccine takes weeks to work, which could be a barrier to adoption. The vaccine's development builds on pioneering work by Thomas Kosten, MD, who built a cocaine vaccine at Yale University and first tested it in humans in 2000.
The vaccine's potential to address the opioid crisis is significant, but challenges remain in terms of public acceptance and regulatory approval.
What this adds
The vaccine's long-term efficacy and public acceptance remain uncertain, as it requires weeks to take effect and does not address addiction directly.
What's still developing
- In the early 1970s, a graduate student at Rockefeller University in New York City pitched an idea to his mentor, the physician who had given the world methadone maintenance : What if you could create a vaccine to train the immune system to intercept a drug before it reached the brain?
- Why would anyone choose a vaccine that took weeks to work over a pill that worked right now?
Sources
- Medscapelink