Anti-Cocaine IgA Rather Than IgG Mediates Vaccine Protection from Cocaine Use.

In developing a vaccine for fentanyl use disorder, we observed that IgA was the best correlate of vaccine-mediated protection from injected drug challenge, rather than IgG or binding affinity. Recent evidence shows that IgA secreting cells line the blood−brain barrier that capture pathogens and could prevent drug antigens from penetrating the brain. We assayed IgA and IgG antibodies from an anti-cocaine vaccine clinical trial and categorized each subject’s antibody levels using half-log cut-points for IgA: <1000, <5000, <10,000 and >10,000; and for IgG: <10,000 to >100,000.

An Immunconjugate Vaccine Alters Distribution and Reduces the Antinociceptive, Behavioral and Physiological Effects of Fentanyl in Male and Female Rats.

Fentanyl (FEN) is a potent synthetic opioid associated with increasing incidence of opioid use disorder (OUD) and fatal opioid overdose. Vaccine immunotherapy for FEN-associated disorders may be a viable therapeutic strategy. Here, we expand and confirm our previous study in mice showing immunological and antinociception efficacy of our FEN vaccine administered with the adjuvant dmLT.

Active and Passive Immunization with an Anti-Methamphetamine Vaccine Attenuates the Behavioral and Cardiovascular Effects of Methamphetamine.

Background: Methamphetamine use disorder (MUD) is a growing health concern with no FDA-approved treatment. The present series of studies build upon our previous work developing an anti-methamphetamine (MA) vaccine for MUD. We determined the effects of a formulation that included tetanus-toxoid (TT) conjugated to succinyl-methamphetamine (TT-SMA) adsorbed onto aluminum hydroxide (alum) in combination with the novel Toll-Like Receptor-5 agonist, entolimod.

Preclinical efficacy of an anti-methamphetamine vaccine using E6020 adjuvant.

Background And Objective: Methamphetamine (MA) substance use disorder (SUD) does not have an efficacious pharmacotherapy. We developed a MA vaccine and investigated its potential to attenuate MA induced responses.

Methods: We examined a novel adjuvant, E6020, a Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4) agonist combined with tetanus-toxoid conjugated to succinyl-methamphetamine (TT-SMA) adsorbed on aluminum hydroxide (alum).