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Romano IG, Johnson-Weaver B, Core SB, Jamus AN, Brackeen M, Blough B, Dey S, Huang Y, Staats H, Wetsel WC, Chackerian B, Frietze KM. A two-dose regimen of Qβ virus-like particle-based vaccines elicit protective antibodies against heroin and fentanyl. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.28.608988. [PMID: 39257808 PMCID: PMC11383672 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.28.608988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/12/2024]
Abstract
Opioid overdoses and the growing rate of opioid use disorder (OUD) are major public health concerns, particularly in the United States. Current treatment approaches for OUD have failed to slow the growth of the opioid crisis. Opioid vaccines have shown pre-clinical success in targeting multiple different opioid drugs. However, the need for many immunizations can limit their clinical implementation. In this study, we investigate the development of novel opioid vaccines by independently targeting fentanyl and the active metabolites of heroin using a bacteriophage virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine platform. We establish the successful conjugation of haptens to bacteriophage Qβ VLPs and demonstrate immunogenicity of Qβ-fentanyl, Qβ-morphine, and Qβ-6-acetylmorphine in animal models after one or two immunizations. We show that in independently or in combination, these vaccines elicit high-titer, high-avidity, and durable antibody responses. Moreover, we reveal their protective capacities against heroin or fentanyl challenge after two immunizations. Overall, these findings establish Qβ-VLP conjugated vaccines for heroin and fentanyl as very promising opioid vaccine candidates.
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Young EJ, Radnai L, Prikhodko V, Miller CA. Novel therapeutics in development for the treatment of stimulant-use disorder. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2024; 87:102898. [PMID: 39096558 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2024.102898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2024] [Revised: 07/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/14/2024] [Indexed: 08/05/2024]
Abstract
Misuse and accidental overdoses attributed to stimulants are escalating rapidly. These stimulants include methamphetamine, cocaine, amphetamine, ecstasy-type drugs, and prescription stimulants such as methylphenidate. Unlike opioids and alcohol, there are no therapies approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat stimulant-use disorder. The high rate of relapse among this population highlights the insufficiency of current treatment options, which are limited to abstinence support programs and behavioral modification therapies. Here, we briefly outline recent regulatory actions taken by FDA to help support the development of new stimulant use disorder treatments and highlight several new therapeutics in the clinical development pipeline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica J Young
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, Jupiter, FL, USA; Department of Neuroscience, The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, Jupiter, FL, USA; Myosin Therapeutics, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Laszlo Radnai
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, Jupiter, FL, USA; Department of Neuroscience, The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | | | - Courtney A Miller
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, Jupiter, FL, USA; Department of Neuroscience, The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, Jupiter, FL, USA.
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Abstract
Substance use disorders (SUD) present a worldwide challenge with few effective therapies except for the relative efficacy of opioid pharmacotherapies, despite limited treatment access. However, the proliferation of illicit fentanyl use initiated a dramatic and cascading epidemic of lethal overdoses. This rise in fentanyl overdoses regenerated an interest in vaccine immunotherapy, which, despite an optimistic start in animal models over the past 50 years, yielded disappointing results in human clinical trials of vaccines against nicotine, stimulants (cocaine and methamphetamine), and opioids. After a brief review of clinical and selected preclinical vaccine studies, the "lessons learned" from the previous vaccine clinical trials are summarized, and then the newest challenge of a vaccine against fentanyl and its analogs is explored. Animal studies have made significant advances in vaccine technology for SUD treatment over the past 50 years, and the resulting anti-fentanyl vaccines show remarkable promise for ending this epidemic of fentanyl deaths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas R Kosten
- Waggoner Professor of Psychiatry, Pharmacology, Neuroscience, Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston
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Prasad S, Mathew PS, Piper BJ, Kaur K, Tian M. The Neurobiology of Methamphetamine Addiction and the Potential to Reduce Misuse Through Conjugate Vaccines Targeting Toll-Like Receptor 4. Cureus 2023; 15:e40259. [PMID: 37440809 PMCID: PMC10335775 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.40259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The methamphetamine epidemic continues to worsen each year and has contributed to more overdose deaths than opioids. Methamphetamine was listed in the top ten lethal drugs in 2021 in the United States. The drug has been shown to cause health problems such as addiction and neurological and behavioral changes. One possible solution to address this crisis is through vaccinations. Vaccinations consist of injecting a controlled substance with the goal of creating compound-specific antibodies. Although still early in development, vaccinations have been found to improve withdrawal symptoms and decrease drug-seeking behavior with minimal health side effects in rodent studies. This paper provides an overview of the clinical presentation and neurobiology of methamphetamine addiction and drug-seeking behaviors. The responses and adverse effects of conjugate vaccines IXTv-100 with adjuvant glucopyranosyl lipid A administered in oil-water stable emulsion and tetanus-toxoid conjugated to succinyl-methamphetamine adsorbed on aluminum hydroxide combined with adjuvant E6020 are examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Savita Prasad
- Medical Education, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, Scranton, USA
| | - Phoebe S Mathew
- Medical Education, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, Scranton, USA
| | - Brian J Piper
- Medical Education, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, Scranton, USA
| | - Karndeep Kaur
- Medical Education, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, Scranton, USA
| | - Maria Tian
- Medical Education, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, Scranton, USA
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Luba R, Martinez S, Jones J, Pravetoni M, Comer SD. Immunotherapeutic strategies for treating opioid use disorder and overdose. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2023; 32:77-87. [PMID: 36696567 PMCID: PMC10035039 DOI: 10.1080/13543784.2023.2173062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Development and implementation of effective treatments for opioid use disorder (OUD) and prevention of overdose are urgent public health needs. Though existing medications for OUD (MOUD) are effective, barriers to initiation and retention in treatment persist. Therefore, development of novel treatments, especially those may complement existing treatments, is needed. AREAS COVERED This review provides an overview of vaccines for substance use disorders (SUD) and mechanisms underlying their function and efficacy. Next, we focus on existing preclinical and clinical trials of SUD vaccines. We focus briefly on related strategies before providing an expert opinion on prior, current, and future work on vaccines for OUD. We included published findings from preclinical and clinical trials found on PubMed and ScienceDirect as well as ongoing or initiated trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov. EXPERT OPINION The present opioid overdose and OUD crises necessitate urgent development and implementation of effective treatments, especially those that offer protection from overdose and can serve as adjuvants to existing medications. Promising preclinical trial results paired with careful efforts to develop vaccines that account for prior SUD vaccine shortcomings offer hope for current and future clinical trials of opioid vaccines. Clinical advantages of opioid vaccines appear to outnumber disadvantages, which may result in improved treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Luba
- New York State Psychiatric Institute/Columbia University Irving Medical Center Division on Substance Use Disorders
| | - Suky Martinez
- New York State Psychiatric Institute/Columbia University Irving Medical Center Division on Substance Use Disorders
| | - Jermaine Jones
- New York State Psychiatric Institute/Columbia University Irving Medical Center Division on Substance Use Disorders
| | - Marco Pravetoni
- University of Washington, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Department of Pharmacology, Center for Medication Development for Substance Use Disorders and Overdose, Seattle, WA
| | - Sandra D Comer
- New York State Psychiatric Institute/Columbia University Irving Medical Center Division on Substance Use Disorders
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Ou L, Gulla K, Biju A, Biner DW, Bylund T, Changela A, Chen SJ, Zheng CY, Cibelli N, Corrigan AR, Duan H, Gonelli CA, Kong WP, Cheng C, O’Dell S, Sarfo EK, Shaddeau A, Wang S, Vinitsky A, Yang Y, Zhang B, Zhang Y, Koup RA, Doria-Rose NA, Gall JG, Mascola JR, Kwong PD. Assessment of Crosslinkers between Peptide Antigen and Carrier Protein for Fusion Peptide-Directed Vaccines against HIV-1. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10111916. [PMID: 36423012 PMCID: PMC9698951 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10111916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Conjugate-vaccine immunogens require three components: a carrier protein, an antigen, and a crosslinker, capable of coupling antigen to carrier protein, while preserving both T-cell responses from carrier protein and B-cell responses from antigen. We previously showed that the N-terminal eight residues of the HIV-1 fusion peptide (FP8) as an antigen could prime for broad cross-clade neutralizing responses, that recombinant heavy chain of tetanus toxin (rTTHC) as a carrier protein provided optimal responses, and that choice of crosslinker could impact both antigenicity and immunogenicity. Here, we delve more deeply into the impact of varying the linker between FP8 and rTTHC. In specific, we assessed the physical properties, the antigenicity, and the immunogenicity of conjugates for crosslinkers ranging in spacer-arm length from 1.5 to 95.2 Å, with varying hydrophobicity and crosslinking-functional groups. Conjugates coupled with different degrees of multimerization and peptide-to-rTTHC stoichiometry, but all were well recognized by HIV-fusion-peptide-directed antibodies VRC34.01, VRC34.05, PGT151, and ACS202 except for the conjugate with the longest linker (24-PEGylated SMCC; SM(PEG)24), which had lower affinity for ACS202, as did the conjugate with the shortest linker (succinimidyl iodoacetate; SIA), which also had the lowest peptide-to-rTTHC stoichiometry. Murine immunizations testing seven FP8-rTTHC conjugates elicited fusion-peptide-directed antibody responses, with SIA- and SM(PEG)24-linked conjugates eliciting lower responses than the other five conjugates. After boosting with prefusion-closed envelope trimers from strains BG505 clade A and consensus clade C, trimer-directed antibody-binding responses were lower for the SIA-linked conjugate; elicited neutralizing responses were similar, however, though statistically lower for the SM(PEG)24-linked conjugate, when tested against a strain especially sensitive to fusion-peptide-directed responses. Overall, correlation analyses revealed the immunogenicity of FP8-rTTHC conjugates to be negatively impacted by hydrophilicity and extremes of length or low peptide-carrier stoichiometry, but robust to other linker parameters, with several commonly used crosslinkers yielding statistically indistinguishable serological results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Ou
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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Haile CN, Varner KJ, Huijing X, Arora R, Orson FM, Kosten TR, Kosten TA. Active and Passive Immunization with an Anti-Methamphetamine Vaccine Attenuates the Behavioral and Cardiovascular Effects of Methamphetamine. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10091508. [PMID: 36146588 PMCID: PMC9503672 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10091508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
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. METHODS Mice were vaccinated (0, 3, 6 weeks) with TT-SMA+alum and various doses of entolimod to determine an optimal dose for enhancing immunogenicity against MA. Functional effects were then assessed using MA-induced locomotor activation in mice. Experiments using passive immunization of antibodies generated by the vaccine tested its ability to attenuate MA-induced cardiovascular effects and alter the reinforcing effects of MA in an MA-induced reinstatement of a drug seeking model of relapse in male and female rats. RESULTS Antibody levels peaked at 10 weeks following vaccination with TT-SMA+alum combined with entolimod (1, 3 and 10 μg). MA-induced locomotor activation was significantly attenuated in vaccinated vs. unvaccinated mice and antibody levels significantly correlated with ambulation levels. Passive immunization decreased mean arterial pressure following MA dosing in rats of both sexes but did not alter heart rate. Passive immunization also attenuated the ability of MA to reinstate extinguished drug-seeking behavior in male and female rats. Results support further development of this vaccine for relapse prevention for individuals with MUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin N. Haile
- Department of Psychology/TIMES, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Kurt J. Varner
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics and the Cardiovascular Center of Excellence, LSUHSC, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Xia Huijing
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics and the Cardiovascular Center of Excellence, LSUHSC, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Reetakshi Arora
- The Michael E DeBakey Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Frank M. Orson
- The Michael E DeBakey Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Immunology Allergy & Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Thomas R. Kosten
- The Michael E DeBakey Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Therese A. Kosten
- Department of Psychology/TIMES, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
- Correspondence:
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Lin M, Marin A, Ellis B, Eubanks LM, Andrianov AK, Janda KD. Polyphosphazene: A New Adjuvant Platform for Cocaine Vaccine Development. Mol Pharm 2022; 19:3358-3366. [PMID: 35984034 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.2c00489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Cocaine is a highly addictive drug that has seen a steady uptrend causing severe health problems worldwide. Currently, there are no approved therapeutics for treating cocaine use disorder; hence, there is an urgent need to identify new medications. Immunopharmacotherapeutics is a promising approach utilizing endogenous antibodies generated through active vaccination, and if properly programmed, can blunt a drug's psychoactive and addictive effects. However, drug vaccine efficacy has largely been limited by the modest levels of antibodies induced. Herein, we explored an adjuvant system consisting of a polyphosphazene macromolecule, specifically poly[di(carboxylatoethylphenoxy)-phosphazene] (PCEP), a biocompatible synthetic polymer that was solicited for improved cocaine conjugate vaccine delivery performance. Our results demonstrated PCEP's superior assembling efficiency with a cocaine hapten as well as with the combined adjuvant CpG oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN). Importantly, this combination led to a higher titer response, balanced immunity, successful sequestering of cocaine in the blood, and a reduction in the drug in the brain. Moreover, a PCEP-cocaine conjugate vaccine was also found to function well via intranasal administration, where its efficacy was demonstrated through the antibody titer, affinity, mucosal IgA production, and a reduction in cocaine's locomotor activity. Overall, a comprehensive evaluation of PCEP integrated within a cocaine vaccine established an advance in the use of synthetic adjuvants in the drugs of abuse vaccine field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingliang Lin
- Departments of Chemistry and Immunology, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, Worm Institute of Research and Medicine (WIRM), The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Alexander Marin
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, Rockville, Maryland 20850, United States
| | - Beverly Ellis
- Departments of Chemistry and Immunology, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, Worm Institute of Research and Medicine (WIRM), The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Lisa M Eubanks
- Departments of Chemistry and Immunology, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, Worm Institute of Research and Medicine (WIRM), The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Alexander K Andrianov
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, Rockville, Maryland 20850, United States
| | - Kim D Janda
- Departments of Chemistry and Immunology, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, Worm Institute of Research and Medicine (WIRM), The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
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da Silva Neto L, da Silva Maia AF, Godin AM, de Almeida Augusto PS, Pereira RLG, Caligiorne SM, Alves RB, Fernandes SOA, Cardoso VN, Goulart GAC, Martins FT, das Neves MDCL, Garcia FD, de Fátima Â. Calix[ n]arene-based immunogens: A new non-proteic strategy for anti-cocaine vaccine. J Adv Res 2022; 38:285-298. [PMID: 35572397 PMCID: PMC9091763 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2021.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Cocaine use disorder is a significant public health issue without a current specific approved treatment. Among different approaches to this disorder, it is possible to highlight a promising immunologic strategy in which an immunogenic agent may reduce the reinforcing effects of the drug if they are able to yield sufficient specific antibodies capable to bind cocaine and/or its psychoactive metabolites before entering into the brain. Several carriers have been investigated in the anti-cocaine vaccine development; however, they generally present a very complex chemical structure, which potentially hampers the proper assessment of the coupling efficiency between the hapten units and the protein structure. Objectives The present study reports the design, synthesis and preclinical evaluation of two novel calix[n]arene-based anti-cocaine immunogens (herein named as V4N2 and V8N2) by the tethering of the hydrolysis-tolerant hapten GNE (15) on calix[4]arene and calix[8]arene moieties. Methods The preclinical assessment corresponded to the immunogenicity and dose-response evaluation of V4N2 and V8N2. The potential of the produced antibodies to reduce the passage of cocaine analogue through the blood-brain-barrier (BBB), modifying its biodistribution was also investigated. Results Both calix[n]arene-based immunogens elicited high titers of cocaine antibodies that modified the biodistribution of a cocaine radiolabeled analogue (99mTc-TRODAT-1) and decreased cocaine-induced behavior, according to an animal model. Conclusion The present results demonstrate the potential of V4N2 and V8N2 as immunogens for the treatment of cocaine use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo da Silva Neto
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Exact Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, MG, Brazil
| | - Angélica Faleiros da Silva Maia
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Exact Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, MG, Brazil
| | - Adriana Martins Godin
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Exact Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, MG, Brazil
| | | | | | - Sordaini Maria Caligiorne
- Department of Mental Health, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30130-100, MG, Brazil
| | - Rosemeire Brondi Alves
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Exact Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, MG, Brazil
| | - Simone Odília Antunes Fernandes
- Department of Clinical & Toxicological Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, MG, Brazil
| | - Valbert Nascimento Cardoso
- Department of Clinical & Toxicological Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, MG, Brazil
| | - Gisele Assis Castro Goulart
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, MG, Brazil
| | - Felipe Terra Martins
- Institute of Chemistry, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia 74690-900, MG, Brazil
| | | | - Frederico Duarte Garcia
- Department of Mental Health, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30130-100, MG, Brazil
| | - Ângelo de Fátima
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Exact Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, MG, Brazil
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Truong TT, Kosten TR. Current status of vaccines for substance use disorders: A brief review of human studies. J Neurol Sci 2021; 434:120098. [PMID: 34952345 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2021.120098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 12/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Substance use is a major public health concern worldwide. In the United States, drug-related deaths have increased many-fold in the past two decades due to the infiltration of more potent and lethal drugs such as fentanyl. Despite significant advancement in medicine, the management of substance use disorders (SUD) continues to be fraught with high attrition, relapse, morbidity, and mortality. The conceptual transition of a SUD from a moral failing to a chronic disease caused by substances facilitated the expansion of biological treatments, including pharmacotherapy, neurostimulation, and immunotherapy. While the quest for vaccines against drugs of abuse had an optimistic start in animal models, clinical trials in humans have yielded disappointing results. This paper provides a brief review on the current progress of vaccines against nicotine, stimulants (cocaine and methamphetamine), opioids including fentanyl, novel psychoactive substances (synthetic cathinones and synthetic cannabis), and discusses prospects for vaccine technology in the treatment of SUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thanh Thuy Truong
- Baylor College of Medicine, Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 1 Baylor plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
| | - Thomas R Kosten
- Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, 2002 Holcombe Blvd, BLDG 110, Rm 229, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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Hossain MK, Hassanzadeganroudsari M, Kypreos E, Feehan J, Apostolopoulos V. Immune to addiction: how immunotherapies can be used to combat methamphetamine addiction. Expert Rev Vaccines 2021; 20:707-715. [PMID: 33970739 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2021.1927725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: The concept of anti-methamphetamine (METH) immunotherapies is a few decades old. A substantial amount of information has been generated on the development of anti-METH immunotherapies, particularly in the preclinical stages of development of vaccines and monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatments. However, the concept of treating METH use addiction with anti-METH immunotherapies is not well understood by many researchers or general readers. A series of questions commonly arise regarding the concept: how does it work? What is the antigen used? How exactly does the vaccine prevent METH addiction?Areas covered: This paper reviews the published articles relating to the mechanisms of METH use disorders, strategies used in the development of anti-METH immunotherapies, and the mechanism of action of these treatments. It provides clear explanations to questions surrounding the basis of anti-METH immunotherapies and contextualizes their development. It also identifies areas for future investigation to speed their translation into clinical use.Expert opinion: While METH immunotherapies, including vaccines and mAbs, have progressed significantly in the last 30 years, there are newer approaches that should be evaluated to improve their translatability. Approaches including nanoparticle vaccines, virus-like particles, and other novel methods should be fully evaluated as means of generating anti-METH immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Kamal Hossain
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | - Erica Kypreos
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jack Feehan
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia
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Lee JC, Janda KD. Immunopharmacotherapeutic advancements in addressing methamphetamine abuse. RSC Chem Biol 2021; 2:77-93. [PMID: 34458776 PMCID: PMC8341824 DOI: 10.1039/d0cb00165a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Methamphetamine (METH) is an illicit psychostimulant that is known to account for substance abuse disorders globally, second only to opioids, yet has no approved pharmacotherapies. Traditional therapies employ small molecule agonists or antagonists for substance use disorders or overdose reversal by targeting drug-specific receptors in the brain. However, the comprehensive mechanism of METH on multiple sites within the central nervous system (CNS) implies its receptors lack the high affinity and specificity required for an "ideal" drug target. The alternative to pharmacotherapies is to sequester abused drugs in the periphery, effectively eliminating the effects from CNS receptor occupation through pharmacokinetic antagonism. This review presents updates on immunopharmacotherapeutic advancements in addressing methamphetamine abuse by focusing on the cultivation of research optimization strategies regarding hapten chemistry, carrier proteins, and adjuvants implemented in active immunization. Furthermore, we discuss necessary developments for each component of active immunopharmacotherapies and the future of active vaccines in treating METH use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinny Claire Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Immunology and Microbial Science, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The WIRM Institute for Research & Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute 10550 North Torrey Pines Rd La Jolla CA 92037 USA
| | - Kim D Janda
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Immunology and Microbial Science, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The WIRM Institute for Research & Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute 10550 North Torrey Pines Rd La Jolla CA 92037 USA
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13
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Lin M, Lee JC, Blake S, Ellis B, Eubanks LM, Janda KD. Broadly Neutralizing Synthetic Cannabinoid Vaccines. JACS AU 2021; 1:31-40. [PMID: 34467269 PMCID: PMC8395583 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.0c00057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) constitute a significant portion of psychoactive substances forming a major public health risk. Due to the wide variety of SCs, broadly neutralizing antibodies generated by active immunization present an intriguing pathway to combat cannabinoid use disorder. Here, we probed hapten design for antibody affinity and cross reactivity against two classes of SCs. Of the 10 haptens screened, 3 vaccine groups revealed submicromolar IC50, each targeting 5-6 compounds in our panel of 22 drugs. Moreover, SCs were successfully sequestered when administered by vaping or intraperitoneal injection, which was confirmed within animal models by observing locomotion, body temperature, and pharmacokinetics. We also discovered synergistic effects to simultaneously blunt two drug classes through an admixture vaccine approach. Collectively, our study provides a comprehensive foundation for the development of vaccines against SCs.
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McClenahan SJ, Gunnell MG, Owens SM. Pharmacokinetics of α-Pyrrolidinovalerophenone in Male Rats with and without Vaccination with an α-Pyrrolidinovalerophenone Vaccine. JOURNAL OF PHARMACY & PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES : A PUBLICATION OF THE CANADIAN SOCIETY FOR PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES, SOCIETE CANADIENNE DES SCIENCES PHARMACEUTIQUES 2021; 24:267-276. [PMID: 34062113 PMCID: PMC8604100 DOI: 10.18433/jpps31832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE α-Pyrrolidinovalerophenone (α-PVP) is a second-generation synthetic cathinone which acts as an inhibitor at the dopamine and norepinephrine transporters in the brain. These novel studies determined the pharmacokinetics (PK) of α-PVP in rats and then evaluated the effects of an α-PVP vaccine on the PK profile. METHODS Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into treatment groups (n = 24/group) in which the vaccinated rats received an initial and two booster immunizations of the α-PVP vaccine at 0, 3, and 9 wks. Control rats received saline injections. α-PVP (0.56, 1, 3 mg/kg, sc) was then administered to both groups between 11-12 weeks and serum samples were collected for determination of α-PVP serum concentrations by LC-MS/MS (n=6 rats/treatment/time). At 13 weeks, brain, heart and kidney concentrations of α-PVP were determined by LC-MS/MS after administration of 1 mg/kg α-PVP (n=4-5 rats/treatment/time). RESULTS PK values in control rats showed dose-dependent increases in maximum serum concentrations (Cmax) and area under the curve (AUCinf) values with an elimination half-life (t1/2) of approximately 2.1 h. α-PVP exhibited linear PK profile in control rats. Vaccinated rats had significantly (p<0.05) higher serum Cmax and AUCinf values than controls, and significantly reduced total body clearance, volume of distribution and t1/2 values. Vaccinated rats had significantly lower α-PVP concentrations in the brain, heart, and kidney in comparison to control rats at early time points. CONCLUSION Vaccination with the novel α-PVP vaccine significantly altered serum PK leading to a time-dependent reduction in brain, kidney and heart concentrations of α-PVP compared to controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha J. McClenahan
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University for Medical Sciences, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Melinda G. Gunnell
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - S. Michael Owens
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
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15
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Lowell JA, Dikici E, Joshi PM, Landgraf R, Lemmon VP, Daunert S, Izenwasser S, Daftarian P. Vaccination against cocaine using a modifiable dendrimer nanoparticle platform. Vaccine 2020; 38:7989-7997. [PMID: 33158592 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.10.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Pharmacological therapies for the treatment of cocaine addiction have had disappointing efficacy, and the lack of recent developments in the clinical care of cocaine-addicted patients indicates a need for novel treatment strategies. Recent studies have shown that vaccination against cocaine to elicit production of antibodies that reduce concentrations of free drug in the blood is a promising method to protect against the effects of cocaine and reduce rates of relapse. However, the poorly immunogenic nature of cocaine remains a major hurdle to active immunization. Therefore, we hypothesized that strategies to increase targeted exposure of cocaine to the immune system may produce a more effective vaccine. To specifically direct an immune response against cocaine, in the present study we have conjugated a cocaine analog to a dendrimer-based nanoparticle carrier with MHC II-binding moieties that previously has been shown to activate antigen-presenting cells necessary for antibody production. This strategy produced a rapid, prolonged, and high affinity anti-cocaine antibody response without the need for an adjuvant. Surprisingly, additional evaluation using multiple adjuvant formulations in two strains of inbred mice found adjuvants were either functionally redundant or deleterious in the vaccination against cocaine using this platform. The use of conditioned place preference in rats after administration of this vaccine provided proof of concept for the ability of this vaccine to diminish cocaine reward. Together these data demonstrate the intrinsic efficacy of an immune-targeting dendrimer-based cocaine vaccine, with a vast potential for design of future vaccines against other poorly immunogenic antigens by substitution of the conjugated cargo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey A Lowell
- Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami, 1095 NW 14th Terrace, Miami, FL 33136, United States
| | - Emre Dikici
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Miami, 1011 NW 15th Street, Miami, FL 33136, United States; Dr. JT Macdonald Foundation Biomedical Nanotechnology Institute, University of Miami, Life Science and Technology Park, 1951 Northwest 7th Avenue, Miami, FL 33136, United States
| | - Pratibha M Joshi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Miami, 1011 NW 15th Street, Miami, FL 33136, United States; Dr. JT Macdonald Foundation Biomedical Nanotechnology Institute, University of Miami, Life Science and Technology Park, 1951 Northwest 7th Avenue, Miami, FL 33136, United States
| | - Ralf Landgraf
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Miami, 1011 NW 15th Street, Miami, FL 33136, United States
| | - Vance P Lemmon
- Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami, 1095 NW 14th Terrace, Miami, FL 33136, United States; Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami, 1095 NW 14th Terrace, Miami, FL 33136, United States
| | - Sylvia Daunert
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Miami, 1011 NW 15th Street, Miami, FL 33136, United States; Dr. JT Macdonald Foundation Biomedical Nanotechnology Institute, University of Miami, Life Science and Technology Park, 1951 Northwest 7th Avenue, Miami, FL 33136, United States; Miami Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Miami, Clinical Research Building, 1120 NW 14th St., Miami, FL 33136, United States
| | - Sari Izenwasser
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami, 1600 NW 10(th) Avenue, Miami, FL 33136, United States.
| | - Pirouz Daftarian
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Miami, 1011 NW 15th Street, Miami, FL 33136, United States; Dr. JT Macdonald Foundation Biomedical Nanotechnology Institute, University of Miami, Life Science and Technology Park, 1951 Northwest 7th Avenue, Miami, FL 33136, United States.
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16
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Brisse M, Vrba SM, Kirk N, Liang Y, Ly H. Emerging Concepts and Technologies in Vaccine Development. Front Immunol 2020; 11:583077. [PMID: 33101309 PMCID: PMC7554600 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.583077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 147] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the success of vaccination to greatly mitigate or eliminate threat of diseases caused by pathogens, there are still known diseases and emerging pathogens for which the development of successful vaccines against them is inherently difficult. In addition, vaccine development for people with compromised immunity and other pre-existing medical conditions has remained a major challenge. Besides the traditional inactivated or live attenuated, virus-vectored and subunit vaccines, emerging non-viral vaccine technologies, such as viral-like particle and nanoparticle vaccines, DNA/RNA vaccines, and rational vaccine design, offer innovative approaches to address existing challenges of vaccine development. They have also significantly advanced our understanding of vaccine immunology and can guide future vaccine development for many diseases, including rapidly emerging infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, and diseases that have not traditionally been addressed by vaccination, such as cancers and substance abuse. This review provides an integrative discussion of new non-viral vaccine development technologies and their use to address the most fundamental and ongoing challenges of vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Brisse
- Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics Graduate Program, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, St. Paul, MN, United States
- Department of Veterinary & Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, St. Paul, MN, United States
| | - Sophia M. Vrba
- Department of Veterinary & Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, St. Paul, MN, United States
| | - Natalie Kirk
- Department of Veterinary & Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, St. Paul, MN, United States
- Comparative Molecular Biosciences Graduate Program, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, St. Paul, MN, United States
| | - Yuying Liang
- Department of Veterinary & Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, St. Paul, MN, United States
| | - Hinh Ly
- Department of Veterinary & Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, St. Paul, MN, United States
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17
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Belz TF, Bremer PT, Zhou B, Ellis B, Eubanks LM, Janda KD. Enhancement of a Heroin Vaccine through Hapten Deuteration. J Am Chem Soc 2020; 142:13294-13298. [PMID: 32700530 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c05219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The United States is in the midst of an unprecedented epidemic of opioid substance use disorder, and while pharmacotherapies including opioid agonists and antagonists have shown success, they can be inadequate and frequently result in high recidivism. With these challenges facing opioid use disorder treatments immunopharmacotherapy is being explored as an alternative therapy option and is based upon antibody-opioid sequestering to block brain entry. Development of a heroin vaccine has become a major research focal point; however, producing an efficient vaccine against heroin has been particularly challenging because of the need to generate not only a potent immune response but one against heroin and its multiple psychoactive molecules. In this study, we explored the consequence of regioselective deuteration of a heroin hapten and its impact upon the immune response against heroin and its psychoactive metabolites. Deuterium (HdAc) and cognate protium heroin (HAc) haptens were compared head to head in an inclusive vaccine study. Strikingly the HdAc vaccine granted greater efficacy in blunting heroin analgesia in murine behavioral models compared to the HAc vaccine. Binding studies confirmed that the HdAc vaccine elicited both greater quantities and equivalent or higher affinity antibodies toward heroin and 6-AM. Blood-brain biodistribution experiments corroborated these affinity tests. These findings suggest that regioselective hapten deuteration could be useful for the resurrection of previous drug of abuse vaccines that have met limited success in the past.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyson F Belz
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Immunology and Microbial Science, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Worm Institute of Research and Medicine (WIRM), The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Paul T Bremer
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Immunology and Microbial Science, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Worm Institute of Research and Medicine (WIRM), The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States.,Cessation Therapeutics LLC, 3031 Tisch Way Ste 505, San Jose, California 95128, United States
| | - Bin Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Immunology and Microbial Science, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Worm Institute of Research and Medicine (WIRM), The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Beverly Ellis
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Immunology and Microbial Science, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Worm Institute of Research and Medicine (WIRM), The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Lisa M Eubanks
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Immunology and Microbial Science, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Worm Institute of Research and Medicine (WIRM), The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Kim D Janda
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Immunology and Microbial Science, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Worm Institute of Research and Medicine (WIRM), The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
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18
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Keller CM, Spence AL, Stevens MW, Owens SM, Guerin GF, Goeders NE. Effects of a methamphetamine vaccine, IXT-v100, on methamphetamine-related behaviors. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2020; 237:655-667. [PMID: 31758209 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-019-05399-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Accepted: 11/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Vaccines have been developed as a potential treatment for methamphetamine (meth) use disorder (MUD). Immunization with the meth vaccine IXT-v100 has previously been shown to elicit antibodies with high affinity for meth and thus may be an effective treatment for MUD. OBJECTIVES These studies were designed to determine the efficacy of IXT-v100 on meth-taking and meth-seeking behaviors in rats. METHODS In the acquisition and maintenance study, male and female rats were trained to self-administer meth (0.06 mg/kg/infusion) over an 8-week period following vaccination. In the last 4 weeks, the dose of meth was increased or decreased each week. To assess meth-seeking behavior, the meth-primed reactivity model was used. Rats were trained to self-administer meth for 5 weeks, followed by a 5-week or 11-week forced abstinence period during which the animals were vaccinated. Rats were then placed back into the self-administration chamber immediately after being injected with meth (1 mg/kg, i.p.) but did not receive meth during the session. Responses were recorded and used as a measure of meth seeking. RESULTS Results from the acquisition and maintenance study in Wistar rats show that vaccination with IXT-v100 adjuvanted with glucopyranosyl lipid A stable emulsion decreases the percentage of animals that will self-administer a moderate level of meth. In the meth-primed reactivity studies, results from males showed that vaccination significantly attenuates meth-seeking behavior. CONCLUSION Together, these results suggest vaccination with IXT-v100 may be effective at decreasing meth-taking and meth-seeking behaviors in humans suffering with MUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney M Keller
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology & Neuroscience, LSU Health Shreveport, 1501 Kings Highway, Shreveport, LA, 71130, USA.
| | - Allyson L Spence
- Regis University School of Pharmacy, 3333 Regis Boulevard, Denver, CO, 80221, USA
| | - Misty W Stevens
- InterveXion Therapeutics, LLC, 4301 W. Markham St. #831, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA
| | - S Michael Owens
- InterveXion Therapeutics, LLC, 4301 W. Markham St. #831, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W. Markham St. #611, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA
| | - Glenn F Guerin
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology & Neuroscience, LSU Health Shreveport, 1501 Kings Highway, Shreveport, LA, 71130, USA
| | - Nicholas E Goeders
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology & Neuroscience, LSU Health Shreveport, 1501 Kings Highway, Shreveport, LA, 71130, USA
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19
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Xiaoshan T, Junjie Y, Wenqing W, Yunong Z, Jiaping L, Shanshan L, Kutty Selva N, Kui C. Immunotherapy for treating methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine use disorders. Drug Discov Today 2020; 25:610-619. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2019.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2019] [Revised: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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20
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Stevens MW, Rüedi-Bettschen D, Gunnell MG, Tawney R, West CM, Owens SM. Antibody production and pharmacokinetics of METH in rats following vaccination with the METH vaccine, IXT-v100, adjuvanted with GLA-SE. Drug Alcohol Depend 2019; 204:107484. [PMID: 31521953 PMCID: PMC6878175 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2019.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2019] [Revised: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Methamphetamine use disorder continues to be inadequately treated, but improvements are being made in the field of immunotherapeutics, including vaccines, which could provide new options for treatment. Cocaine and nicotine vaccines have been tested clinically, but have yet to elicit the necessary antibody concentrations required to be effective. Methamphetamine vaccines have been tested in multiple nonclinical models and appear promising. Improved adjuvants have the potential to further stimulate the immune system to reach effective levels of antibodies. Previously, the methamphetamine vaccine IXT-v100 was administered with GLA-SE, a toll-like receptor 4 agonist, in mice to produce higher levels of antibodies than when it was administered with two other widely used adjuvants, Alhydrogel and Sigma Adjuvant System. METHODS The purpose of this research was to evaluate IXT-v100, given in combination with the adjuvant GLA-SE, to determine its efficacy in antagonizing methamphetamine disposition in a rat pharmacokinetic study. Additional rat studies were conducted to compare the ability of IXT-v100 manufactured with greater hapten densities to elicit higher antibody levels. RESULTS As expected based on prior studies with anti-methamphetamine monoclonal antibodies, the antibodies resulting from vaccination with IXT-v100 altered methamphetamine pharmacokinetics by increasing serum concentrations and extending the half-life. Furthermore, intentional variations in the ratio of components during manufacturing led to production of vaccines with higher hapten densities. The higher hapten densities resulted in production of antibodies that maintained the ability to bind methamphetamine with high affinity. CONCLUSIONS The results support continued development of IXT-v100 for the treatment of methamphetamine use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Misty W. Stevens
- InterveXion Therapeutics, LLC, 4301 W. Markham St., #831, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Daniela Rüedi-Bettschen
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W. Markham St., #611, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Melinda G. Gunnell
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W. Markham St., #611, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Rachel Tawney
- InterveXion Therapeutics, LLC, 4301 W. Markham St., #831, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W. Markham St., #611, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - C. Michael West
- InterveXion Therapeutics, LLC, 4301 W. Markham St., #831, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - S. Michael Owens
- InterveXion Therapeutics, LLC, 4301 W. Markham St., #831, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W. Markham St., #611, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
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21
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Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of a bi-specific vaccine against α-pyrrolidinovalerophenone (α-PVP) and 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) in rats. Vaccine 2019; 38:336-344. [PMID: 31629568 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2019.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Revised: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
α-PVP (α-pyrrolidinovalerophenone) and MDPV (3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone) are potent abused stimulants that are members of the synthetic cathinone class of drugs. Although these drugs are taken with recreational intent, high doses can lead to unintended adverse effects including agitation, cardiovascular effects, sympathomimetic syndromes, hallucinations, and psychoses. One possible treatment is the use of a vaccine to block or attenuate adverse medical effects. These studies report the preparation of a vaccine that generates high affinity antibodies specific for both drugs and the pharmacological testing of this vaccine in male rats. Alkylation of a hydroxy-α-PVP analog with an appropriate thiol-bearing linker afforded the hapten. When hapten-conjugated carrier protein was mixed with adjuvant, the resulting vaccine stimulated production of antibodies in male Sprague Dawley rats that were found to significantly reduce α-PVP- and MDPV-induced hyperlocomotion as well as to significantly reduce the concentrations of MDPV drugs in critical organs. The novel vaccine produced high affinity antibodies against MDPV, (R)-MDPV, (S)-MDPV, and α-PVP. Cross-reactivity testing against nine structurally similar cathinones showed very limited binding, and no binding to off-target endogenous and exogenous compounds. Antibodies generated by this bi-specific vaccine also significantly shortened the duration of locomotor activity induced by both drugs up to a dose of 5.6 mg/kg in male rats.
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22
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Psychopharmacology: neuroimmune signaling in psychiatric disease-developing vaccines against abused drugs using toll-like receptor agonists. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2019; 236:2899-2907. [PMID: 30726515 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-019-5176-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Since substance use disorders have few or no effective pharmacotherapies, researchers have developed vaccines as immune-therapies against nicotine, cocaine, methamphetamine, and opioids including fentanyl. OBJECTIVES We focus on enhancing antibody (AB) production through stimulation of toll-like receptor-5 (TLR5) during active vaccination. The stimulating adjuvant is Entolimod, a novel protein derivative of flagellin. We review the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying Entolimod's actions on TLR5. RESULTS Entolimod shows excellent efficacy for increasing AB levels to levels well beyond those produced by anti-addiction vaccines alone in animal models and humans. These ABs also significantly block the behavioral effects of the targeted drug of abuse. The TLR5 stimulation involves a wide range of immune cell types such as dendritic, antigen presenting, T and B cells. Entolimod binding to TLR5 initiates an intracellular signaling cascade that stimulates cytokine production of tumor necrosis factor and two interleukins (IL-6 and IL-12). While cytokine release can be catastrophic in cytokine storm, Entolimod produces a modulated release with few side effects even at doses 30 times greater than doses needed in these vaccine studies. Entolimod has markedly increased AB responses to all of our anti-addiction vaccines in rodent models, and in normal humans. CONCLUSIONS Entolimod and TLR5 stimulation has broad application to vaccines and potentially to other psychiatric disorders like depression, which has critical inflammatory contributions that Entolimod could reduce.
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23
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Olson ME, Sugane T, Zhou B, Janda KD. Consequence of Hapten Stereochemistry: An Efficacious Methamphetamine Vaccine. J Am Chem Soc 2019; 141:14089-14092. [PMID: 31479256 PMCID: PMC10681097 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.9b07294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Recent trends in methamphetamine (METH) misuse and overdose suggest society is inadvertently overlooking a brewing METH crisis. In the past decade, psychostimulant-related lethal overdoses and hospitalizations have skyrocketed 127 and 245%, respectively. Unlike the opioid crisis, no pharmaceutical interventions are available for treating METH use disorder or reversing overdose. Herein, we report the first active vaccine that offers protection from lethal (+)-METH challenge in male Swiss Webster mice. This vaccine formulation of (S)MLMH-TT adjuvanted with CpG ODN 1826 + alum successfully raised anti-METH antibodies in high titers, reduced (+)-METH distribution to the brain, and lowered (+)-METH-associated stereotypies in a hyperlocomotion assay. A comparison of enantiomeric haptens and the racemate elucidated the importance of employing (S)-stereochemistry in METH hapten design for optimal protection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Bin Zhou
- Departments of Chemistry and Immunology, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, and Worm Institute of Research and Medicine (WIRM), The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States of America
| | - Kim D. Janda
- Departments of Chemistry and Immunology, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, and Worm Institute of Research and Medicine (WIRM), The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States of America
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24
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Ozgen MH, Blume S. The continuing search for an addiction vaccine. Vaccine 2019; 37:5485-5490. [PMID: 31266675 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2019.06.074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2018] [Revised: 04/27/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Inspired by advances in immunology, in the 1970s scientists began to study the possibilities of mobilizing the human immune system against intruders other than pathogenic viruses and bacteria. In 1972 the suggestion was first made that it might be possible to provoke immunity to narcotic dependence. Because molecules of narcotics such as heroin and cocaine are too small to stimulate an immune response, researchers sought ways of coupling them to immunogenic proteins. The substances they developed soon became known as addiction vaccines. However, despite fifty years of research, and despite the growing problem of addiction, no vaccine against heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine or nicotine addiction has yet been licensed for clinical use. This paper reviews the history of addiction vaccinology, seeks to explain the unique appeal of a vaccinological approach to addiction, and argues for broad discussion of how such vaccines should ultimately be used.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Heval Ozgen
- Parnassia Psychiatric Institute and Addiction Research Center (PARC), Interculturel Psychiatry (i-psy), Parnassia Academy, The Hague, the Netherlands.
| | - Stuart Blume
- Department of Anthropology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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25
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Arora R, Haile CN, Kosten TA, Wu Y, Ramakrishnan M, Hawkins LD, Orson FM, Kosten TR. Preclinical efficacy of an anti-methamphetamine vaccine using E6020 adjuvant. Am J Addict 2019; 28:119-126. [PMID: 30701618 DOI: 10.1111/ajad.12867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Revised: 01/02/2019] [Accepted: 01/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
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). Adult BALB/c female mice received the vaccine and booster injections at weeks 0, 3, and 6. The efficacy of the vaccine was assessed by the level and affinity of anti-MA antibodies elicited, its ability to attenuate MA induced locomotor activation and its reduction in the amount of MA entering the brains of vaccinated mice. RESULTS The TT-SMA vaccine containing alum and E6020 adjuvant produced anti-MA antibodies with nanomolar affinities and showed threefold greater peak titer levels than without E6020 (700 vs 250 μg/ml). These antibodies significantly decreased MA-induced locomotor activation (p < .05), and reduced the brain (p < .005) MA levels following MA administration in actively immunized mice. CONCLUSIONS Thus, this anti-MA vaccine formulated with E6020 demonstrated effective functional protection against behavioral disruptions induced by MA. SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE Together, anti-MA vaccine showing a promising improvement in the efficacy of the vaccine that could be an effective candidate vaccine for methamphetamine use disorder (MUD). Furthermore, combinations of adjuvants may be a tool to design vaccines for MA dependence in humans. (Am J Addict 2019;XX:1-8).
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Affiliation(s)
- Reetakshi Arora
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.,The Michael E DeBakey Veteran's Affairs Medical Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Colin N Haile
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.,The Michael E DeBakey Veteran's Affairs Medical Center, Houston, Texas.,Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Therese A Kosten
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.,The Michael E DeBakey Veteran's Affairs Medical Center, Houston, Texas.,Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Yan Wu
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.,The Michael E DeBakey Veteran's Affairs Medical Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Muthu Ramakrishnan
- The Michael E DeBakey Veteran's Affairs Medical Center, Houston, Texas.,Immunology Allergy & Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | | | - Frank M Orson
- The Michael E DeBakey Veteran's Affairs Medical Center, Houston, Texas.,Immunology Allergy & Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Thomas R Kosten
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.,The Michael E DeBakey Veteran's Affairs Medical Center, Houston, Texas
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26
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Abstract
Substance use disorder, especially in relation to opioids such as heroin and fentanyl, is a significant public health issue and has intensified in recent years. As a result, substantial interest exists in developing therapeutics to counteract the effects of abused drugs. A promising universal strategy for antagonizing the pharmacology of virtually any drug involves the development of a conjugate vaccine, wherein a hapten structurally similar to the target drug is conjugated to an immunogenic carrier protein. When formulated with adjuvants and immunized, the immunoconjugate should elicit serum IgG antibodies with the ability to sequester the target drug to prevent its entry to the brain, thereby acting as an immunoantagonist. Despite the failures of first-generation conjugate vaccines against cocaine and nicotine in clinical trials, second-generation vaccines have shown dramatically improved performance in preclinical models, thus renewing the potential clinical utility of conjugate vaccines in curbing substance use disorder. This review explores the critical design elements of drug conjugate vaccines such as hapten structure, adjuvant formulation, bioconjugate chemistry, and carrier protein selection. Methods for evaluating these vaccines are discussed, and recent progress in vaccine development for each drug is summarized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul T Bremer
- Departments of Chemistry and Immunology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Kim D Janda
- Departments of Chemistry and Immunology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
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27
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Morley KC, Cornish JL, Faingold A, Wood K, Haber PS. Pharmacotherapeutic agents in the treatment of methamphetamine dependence. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2017; 26:563-578. [PMID: 28351169 DOI: 10.1080/13543784.2017.1313229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Methamphetamine use is a serious public health concern in many countries and is second to cannabis as the most widely abused illicit drug in the world. Effective management for methamphetamine dependence remains elusive and the large majority of methamphetamine users relapse following treatment. Areas covered: Progression in the understanding of the pharmacological basis of methamphetamine use has provided us with innovative opportunities to develop agents to treat dependence. The current review summarizes relevant literature on the neurobiological and clinical correlates associated with methamphetamine use. We then outline agents that have been explored for potential treatments in preclinical studies, human laboratory phase I and phase II trials over the last ten years. Expert opinion: No agent has demonstrated a broad and strong effect in achieving MA abstinence in Phase II trials. Agents with novel therapeutic targets appear promising. Advancement in MA treatment, including translation into practice, faces several clinical challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten C Morley
- a NHMRC Centre for Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use, Discipline of Addiction Medicine , The University of Sydney , Sydney , Australia
| | - Jennifer L Cornish
- b Department of Psychology , Centre for Emotional Health, Macquarie University , Sydney , Australia
| | - Alon Faingold
- c Drug Health Services , Royal Prince Alfred Hospital , Camperdown , Australia
| | - Katie Wood
- a NHMRC Centre for Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use, Discipline of Addiction Medicine , The University of Sydney , Sydney , Australia
| | - Paul S Haber
- a NHMRC Centre for Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use, Discipline of Addiction Medicine , The University of Sydney , Sydney , Australia.,c Drug Health Services , Royal Prince Alfred Hospital , Camperdown , Australia
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