Experimental vaccine could save thousands of lives per year, scientist claims
The small Phase 1 trial will enroll about 40 participants, focusing on safety and immune response.
After the Phase 1 trial for safety, a Phase 2 trial will test whether the vaccine effectively blocks fentanyl’s effects in humans.
Potential risks and limitations
The primary limitation is that data so far is available only for mouse models, and it’s unknown how effective the vaccine would be in humans.
Haile told Fox News Digital there were no adverse side effects reported in the animal study, likely because the ingredients of the vaccine are proteins that have already been used in other combinations in humans, so their safety profile is already known.
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“Also, unlike other vaccines, we use extremely low doses of the components,” he noted. “We have put the vaccine into a lot of animals and have not seen any adverse side effects at all.”
Even in a toxicology study, during which the researchers administered 20 times the dose of the vaccine that would be given to humans, they still saw no overt signs of toxicity, according to Haile.
Potential use cases
Haile mentioned several different use cases for the vaccine, primarily those with opioid use disorder who want to quit using fentanyl.
It could also be used by first responders and healthcare workers who want to reduce the risk of accidental exposure.
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Military and national security personnel could also benefit from the vaccine, Haile said, as it could help protect against fentanyl and fentanyl-like compounds that have been used as chemical threats.
Finally, parents may be seeking protection for at-risk teens or young adults, as fentanyl has been known to be mixed with other substances, such as marijuana.
The progress of the vaccine is a “very exciting advance with a huge upside,” a medical expert said. (iStock)
Looking ahead, Haile said this could pave the way for the approval of other anti-drug vaccines, such as cocaine and methamphetamine, which are already in the works.
“If we can tackle the primary ones — fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine — we will be saving hundreds of thousands of lives,” he added.
“This is likely to prevent many overdoses where a patient is sedated and stops breathing as a result of fentanyl.”
Melissa Rudy is senior health editor and a member of the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to melissa.rudy@fox.com.
Article source: https://www.foxnews.com/health/experimental-vaccine-could-save-thousands-lives-per-year-scientist-claims