Cocaine and Nicotine Vaccine

Addictive substances hijack normal brain pathways, but Tom Kosten, M.D., and Therese Kosten, Ph.D., hope a cocaine vaccine they developed is the key that frees millions from their addictions.

What if a syringe helped conquer drug addiction instead of causing it? That's the goal of Baylor College of Medicine's newest research duo, Tom Kosten, M.D., and Therese Kosten, Ph.D., who have developed a promising cocaine vaccine and have plans for similar vaccines for methamphetamine and nicotine addiction.

"We are both interested in developing medications to treat addictions," said Thomas Kosten.

"When intoxicated—and often for another week or more after stopping—some abusers have a tendency to behave sociopathically, and even kill people," said Thomas Kosten. "Through brain imaging studies, we have learned that many abusers can be insensitive to feelings and emotions in others. The abuser's brain just doesn't register that another person is in pain or that the abuser may be causing that emotional—and in extreme cases, that physical pain. This obviously is severe pathology, the hijacking of normal brain pathways that are required for you to function socially."

The human body's immune system is unable to create the necessary antibodies to neutralize or to fight off the small particles of cocaine and many other serious drugs.

"The only way you can get people's bodies to make antibodies is to trick the immune system," said Thomas Kosten. That is how he has engineered the cocaine vaccine to work.

Drug addictions are a serious problem in Canada and the U.S., affecting society in a negative way and costing us billions of dollars.  Families with family members with serious drug problems look for some hope that there is some cure out there that will bring freedom from the addictions for their loved ones.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if a vaccine for such serious addictions could give them all the hope they need!