Brazilians develop vaccine against crack and cocaine – 05/30/2023 – Health

A vaccine being developed by UFMG (Federal University of Minas Gerais) promises to treat dependence on cocaine and its derivatives, such as crack.

In studies since 2015, the drug, called Calixcoca, has already undergone pre-clinical tests with rats, in which the production of anti-cocaine antibodies in the animals’ bodies was observed. Now, the researchers are looking for resources to start studies in humans.

In tests with mice, the antibodies produced by Calixcoca prevented, by means of a synthetic molecule, cocaine from overcoming the blood-brain barrier of patients, that is, from being taken by the blood to the central nervous system, reaching the brain.

“We believe that, as in animal models, in humans this effect prevents the perception of the effects of the drug and, therefore, the patient does not reactivate the brain circuit that leads to compulsion for the drug”, explains Frederico Garcia, researcher responsible for the development of the vaccine. anticocaine and professor at the Department of Mental Health at the Faculty of Medicine at UFMG.

Calixcoca is one of the finalists for the Euro Prize for Innovation in Health – Latin America, by the pharmaceutical company Eurofarma, which will award 500,000 euros to the highlight of this edition. Another 11 winners will also receive 50,000 euros to continue their research.

Pregnant dependents motivated research

According to Garcia, the immunizer also proved to be effective in protecting pregnant women, reducing spontaneous abortions, generating weight gain in fetuses, in addition to protecting them from dependence acquired by the mother.

“The pups had anti-cocaine antibodies in their bloodstream passed through the placenta and mother’s milk. They were not born with signs of withdrawal and were less sensitive to cocaine when compared to pups of unvaccinated animals”, explains the professor.

The idea for the development of the vaccine came precisely from the suffering of pregnant women addicted to crack who arrived at the university’s outpatient clinic.

“They suffer a lot from the conflict of trying to protect their babies and the compulsion for the drug. At the time, I spoke with Professor Angelo de Fátima, from the Chemistry department at UFMG, who managed to build this new molecule that we are developing”, he adds.

innovative molecule

According to Garcia, there are at least two other institutions developing similar vaccines for the treatment of chemical dependency – John Cristal and Georg Koob, both in the United States. Immunizers, however, did not have the same effectiveness in human research, which proved effective for only 25% of patients, and currently, American researchers are conducting studies with another molecule.

And that is precisely where one of Calixcoca’s innovations lies. “Our molecule innovates because it is a non-protein platform, that is, a synthetic molecule. This, in addition to facilitating and making production cheaper, allows the logistics chain to be simpler as it does not require a cold chain”, says Garcia, who says that has already been contacted by researchers from other countries in search of partnerships.

The platform used by the UFMG vaccine can also help in the treatment of dependence on other drugs. “We already have the project for these vaccines for opioids and methamphetamine. We are looking for resources to be able to develop them”, he adds.

Pioneer treatment

Data from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNOD) indicate that, currently, of the approximately 275 million users of crack and cocaine worldwide, 36 million suffer from disorders associated with substance use. Also according to the agency, the amounts of cocaine offered across the planet reached record levels in 2020, with the production of around 2,000 tons.

In Brazil, according to the UN, cocaine and crack account for 11% of all addiction treatments, the largest share among illegal drugs. In the country, addiction to crack has been one of the greatest public health challenges, especially with the proliferation of “cracolândias” in major urban centers, such as São Paulo.

For Garcia, from UFMG, one of the main problems in the treatment of addiction to cocaine and its derivatives is that there is no specific medicine for the problem. In most cases, they are drugs used for other illnesses, such as antidepressants, which try to improve withdrawal symptoms and compulsion.

“What most harms the treatment is the first relapse after an abstinence treatment, which seems to activate the circuit of rewards and make the patient have compulsions for the drug again”, says the researcher, who claims that Calixcoca avoids the first activation, giving addicts more time for rehabilitation.

Social issue

According to psychiatrist Dartiu Silveira, a professor at the Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp) with more than 30 years of experience in the treatment of patients with cocaine dependence, other factors, such as depression, impulsivity and social exclusion, also make up the substance addiction.

“Each one will have their own story behind the drug. It is also important to identify this, including the types of individuals and why they use it and become addicted”, he says, pointing out that vaccines can also be effective in preventing possible overdoses.

The psychiatrist recalls that the reintegration of addicts and residents of “cracolândias” into society are also important components in rehabilitation, citing the example of the Braços Abertos program, which was in force in São Paulo during the administration of former mayor Fernando Haddad (PT).

“There were people on the streets who found a place to live and a job and immediately stopped using drugs. We also have to look at this phenomenon, because, many times, the cause of drug use is also social exclusion”, he says. Silveira, who was one of the project supervisors.

For Garcia, the Calixcoca vaccine could alleviate the problem. “It would greatly facilitate the treatment of these people with addiction and would provide a perspective for their recovery and the families affected by this serious disease”, she concludes.