The most deadly synthetic opioids can be attenuated by vaccines: research

During the Covid-19 period, as the opioid epidemic raged with even greater force, researchers have been working on new therapeutic interventions that may help prevent massive deaths from opioid overdose. ..

Chemist Dr. Kim Janda and his team’s Scripps Research Institute have blunted the deadly effects of fentanyl, which is causing the opioid death boom, and its more deadly cousin, carfentanil. Developed the vaccines shown in the class, the increasing cause of overdose and the threat of chemical terrorism.

The survey results were published in “ACS Chemical Biology” published by the American Chemical Society.

“Synthetic opioids are not only very deadly, they are addictive and easy to manufacture, which poses a public health threat, especially if the coronavirus crisis has a negative impact on mental health. “, Ely R. Callaway, Jr. Professor Janda of Chemistry said. At Scripps Research.

“We have shown that it is possible to prevent these unnecessary deaths by inducing antibodies that block the drug from reaching the brain,” Janda added.

Once in the brain, synthetic opioids slow down the body’s breathing. If you consume too much medicine, you may stop breathing altogether. In a series of experiments with mice, Janda’s vaccine “isolated” powerful drug molecules, preventing them from interacting with the brain and body and blocking dangerous respiratory symptoms.

Vaccines are used as a treatment for people with substance abuse disorders and as a means of protecting military personnel who may be exposed to opioids as chemical weapons in many scenarios, including emergencies to treat overdose. It is supposed to be used. They may also help police dogs trained to look for these deadly drugs.

“The respiratory depression data we show are staggering for both fentanyl and carfentanil, and we hope this approach will help treat many opioid-related disorders,” Janda said.

A long way from “miracle medicine”

Opioids are a diverse class of drugs that have been used to relieve pain for over 200 years, but things have changed dramatically in recent decades. Morphine, an analgesic isolated from opium, was foretold as a miracle drug in the early 1800s. Shortly thereafter, pharmaceutical companies created synthetic forms of heroin, perhaps as a non-addictive alternative to morphine. (The nature of the drug’s problems became apparent in the 1920s and prompted regulation.)

However, it was not until the late 1990s that opioids began to cause public health emergencies characterized by widespread abuse of opioid drugs, both from prescriptions and illegal sales.

Today the problem has reached a new crescendo. In December, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared deaths from record-high overdose in 12 months, primarily from synthetic opioids (mainly fentanyl produced in illegal laboratories). ..

Also considered a terrorist weapon

Fentanyl is much more powerful than most other opioids and up to 100 times more powerful than morphine. Carfentanil, on the other hand, is up to 10,000 times more powerful than morphine, and is the deadliest of all, Janda said. Often used in veterinary medicine to calm large animals such as elephants.

Although lesser known than street drugs, carfentanil is increasingly being used as an adulterant of heroin and cocaine, leading to unexpected drug overdose. It can also lead to death from overdose due to accidental exposure, such as in veterinary or police settings. Having an emergency vaccine at hand can prevent those risks.

Janda said synthetic opioids are also considered terrorist weapons. They can be made in large quantities, in several forms, such as tablets, powders and sprays. They are easily absorbed by the skin or by inhalation. A single terrorist attack using carfentanil can be fatal to many, he said.

“Unfortunately, the increase in carfentanil and fentanyl overdose cases puts additional strain on the already overwhelming public health system currently fighting the pandemic,” said Janda. “We look forward to continuing vaccine research and translating it into clinics, where clinics can begin to influence the opioid crisis.”

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