ABSTRACT
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Vaccines for the treatment of drug addiction differ from available medications in that they target the drug rather than the brain. Vaccination against nicotine elicits the production of nicotine-specific antibodies which bind nicotine, reduce and slow nicotine distribution to brain, and slow nicotine elimination. Vaccination of rats attenuates a variety of behaviors relevant to addiction, including nicotine discrimination and nicotine self-administration. Early clinical trials have confirmed vaccine safety and immunogenicity, and some measures suggest that vaccination may reduce smoking and improve cessation rates. Potential advantages of vaccination include its long duration of action and its unique mechanisms, which may expand the range of effects achievable with medication or provide added efficacy when combined with medications that act through complementary mechanisms. Challenges include reliably producing sufficient antibody levels and the possibility that vaccinated smokers could increase their smoking to compensate for the binding of nicotine.
