American Scientists Develop New Nicotine Vaccine Named NicVax to Aid Smoking Cessation Safely
A 38-week study conducted by scientists at the University of Minnesota involved 68 individuals addicted to smoking. These participants were administered one of three different doses of the vaccine or given a placebo.
Although the initial study was not designed to evaluate the vaccine’s effectiveness, researchers discovered that 38% of those who received the high dose of the vaccine had successfully quit smoking for at least 30 days.
Dorothy Hatsukami, director of the Tobacco Use Research Center at the University of Minnesota’s Cancer Center, explained: the vaccine works by producing special antibodies that “bind” to nicotine, thereby preventing a significant amount of nicotine from entering the brain.
Hatsukami emphasized the need for further in-depth research to address questions about this vaccine, including how it maintains effectiveness in smokers and whether it can be used to prevent relapse in those who have quit smoking.
