Fox B S
ImmuLogic Pharmaceutical Corporation, Waltham, MA 02154, USA.
Drug Alcohol Depend. 1997 Dec 15;48(3):153-8. doi: 10.1016/s0376-8716(97)00121-x.
No pharmacotherapies have yet been approved for the treatment of cocaine addiction. One new approach is to block the effects of cocaine with anti-cocaine antibodies induced by a therapeutic cocaine vaccine. A cocaine vaccine has been developed which induces a cocaine-specific antibody response in rodents. The antibody binds to cocaine in the circulation and can be shown to inhibit the ability of cocaine to enter the brain. Furthermore, anti-cocaine antibody can inhibit cocaine self-administration in rats. These data suggest that a cocaine vaccine may be a powerful therapeutic tool. The intent is to immunized motivated patients with the vaccine as part of a comprehensive treatment program. If the patient uses cocaine after being vaccinated, the antibody will inhibit the reinforcing activity of cocaine and decrease the likelihood of relapse.
