A research team led by the University of Houston (USA) has developed a vaccine target the dangerous synthetic opioid fentanyl which could block your ability to enter the brainthus eliminating the “high” of ingestion this drug. The discovery, which was published in the scientific journal Pharmaceuticalcould play an important role in tackling the opioid epidemic from the United States. As the researchers have pointed out, the vaccine can become an agent for prevent relapses of those people trying to stop using these drugs.
Vaccine research shows that fentanyl is a treatable drug
Research has therefore found that consuming this type of drug eg negotiablealthough today it is estimated that 80% of dependents of opiates suffer a relapse. In the United States, more than 150 people die every day from a synthetic opioid overdoseincluding the fentanylwhich belongs to 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Indeed, the consumption of about 2 milligrams of this drug, which is the size of two grains of rice, can become mortal for one person. Precisely for this reason, the lead author of the study, Colin Haile, assured that this discovery could have “a significant impact on a very serious problem that has plagued society for years: the consumption of opioids“. “Our vaccine is capable of generating antifentanyl antibodies that bind to the fentanyl consumed and prevent it from entering the brain, allowing it to be eliminated from the body through the kidneys. Thus, the individual will not feel the effects of euphoria and will be able to return to the sobriety machine,” the researcher specified.
Fentanyl vaccine does not cause side effects in rats
Another positive result, as evidenced by the research team, is that the vaccine developed against the fentanyl did not cause any adverse side effects in the immunized rats that participated in the laboratory studies. The group of researchers stressed that they plan to start producing the vaccine clinical grade in next months to start clinical trials very soon humans. Notably, the vaccine they tested contains an adjuvant derived from ‘E. col li’ called dmLT. It’s a auxiliary molecule which enhances the immune system’s response to vaccines, a critical component for the effectiveness of vaccines against Addiction. Current treatments to address this type of drugs These are methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone, but their effectiveness depends on the formulation, adherence to the process, access to medicines and the opioid worn out concrete.
Fentanyl is routinely added to other drugs such as cocaine
The fentanyl it is a dangerous threat because it is customary to add to drugs known as “road”. This is the case with cocaine, methamphetamine, and other opioids, such as oxycodone and hydrocodone/acetaminophen pills. It is also taken with counterfeit benzodiazepines, such as Xanax. These modified drugs increase the fentanyl overdose in people who are not regular users of opioids. “The anti-fentanyl antibodies were specific to fentanyl and a fentanyl derivative and did not show cross-reactions with other opioids, such as morphine. This means that a vaccinated person could continue to be treated for pain relief with other opioids“, the lead author of the article emphasized.
