Toward a Vaccine Against Cocaine

Abstract

This project aims at preparing a compound that should prevent the effects of cocaine when injected into a human being. Certain compounds can steer the immune system into performing a chemical reaction, which in this case will be the conversion of cocaine into harmless components. The preparation of a compound possessing the required properties toward this objective is proposed. For the immune system to elicit an immune response, the substance must be of a sufficiently large size. Therefore, the preparation of such a compound requires attachment to a carrier protein or polymer so that the compound will be recognized as foreign by the immune system. We propose that introduction of this compound into the body would trigger the immune system to generate catalytic antibodies capable of degrading cocaine. Immunization should generate an immunological memory response so that even if more cocaine is introduced in the body later on, it will still be degraded into harmless components. The ultimate successful completion of this project could potentially provide a significant advance in the treatment of cocaine addiction, which is a huge cost to the healthcare system and takes a toll on many lives.