American scientists seem to have made astounding headway against the lethal opioid epidemic sweeping the United States that killed more than 72,000 persons in 2017.
Researchers at The Scripps Research Institute have created monoclonal antibodies (mAb) effective against several synthetic opioids, including fentanyl and the deadliest of the fentanyls -- carfentanil. Their findings could both combat opioid addiction and significantly reduce overdose deaths. mAb are made by identical immune cells that are all clones of a unique parent cell.
The study investigated the efficacy of vaccines with the newly developed opioid antibodies in animals. Led by Scripps researcher and chemistry professor Kim Janda, a team tested the mAb using a common pain response challenge in which a heated beam of light is applied to a mouse's tail.
The time it took for the mouse to withdraw its tail was measured. Quick reactions suggest the mouse is feeling pain. On the other hand, a longer response suggests the pain response has been muted.
Mice given opioids such as fentanyl or carfentanil without the antibody exhibited a big reduction in tail withdrawal, suggesting they could not sense pain. When given the opioid-blocking antibody, however, the tail withdrawal was normalized. This result indicated the vaccine blocked the analgesic effects of the drug.
Researchers then tested if the vaccine could prevent lethal overdose. Mice were administered the vaccine followed by a dose of fentanyl that was fatal in non-vaccinated animals. All the vaccinated mice were protected from an overdose.
The mAb was also effective against other forms of fentanyl, including carfentanil and seven other analogs, in both pain tests and lethality studies.
Janda said when it comes to the very powerful opioid carfentanil, the current treatment for this opioid's induced lethality does not work very well because it has no staying power. Antibodies persist longer and have enormous promise for addressing both opioid addiction as well as overdose.
In the United States, synthetic psychoactive drugs are a serious public health threat. This is particularly true of the fentanyls.
This large family of synthetic opioids can be up to 10,000 times more potent than morphine. Synthetic opioids are also highly addictive. Because of their potency, they often prove fatal.
Out of the 72,000 drug overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2017, about 30,000 had something to do with synthetic opioids.
