NicVax

**__NICVAX__**

 * Description:**

NicVAX is an vaccine that was created to aid in treating smoking addiction and potentially prevent smoking relapse. It is a nicotine conjugate vaccine. This means it is meant to reduce nicotine addiction. NicVAX can also be call a quit aid. After receiving series of shots that encourage your body to create and build antibodies to nicotine. The antibodies will possibly render the the nicotine non-addictive. The researchers that are developing it are at Nabi Biopharmaceuticals. The goals of NicVax are to first and foremost help people quit their use of tobacco. The next goal is for the NicVax to get rid of any threat of relapse. It approaches this goal by helping the body antibodies to the nicotine. Accoring to Nabi Biopharmaceuticals, NicVax contains a derivative of nicotine that is bound chemically bound to a protein carrier using a patented technological vaccine. It is taken by a shot in the arm. When it enters the bloodstream, NicVax helps the body immune system develop antibodies to the nicotine. The antibodies, being as large as they are break the blood and brain barrier. This causes the blockage of nicotine, and this blockage means the nicotine is unable to travel to the brain thus it can't cause addiction.

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 * Clinical Trials**

In May 2006, Nabi Biopharmaceuticals started a Phase II clinical trial on NicVax. The study met its conclusion in September 2007 with a primary outcome measure and final collection of data. 313 smokers generally good health were studied. They smoked at least 15 cigarettes a day and had more than a 10ppm carbon monoxide level. The study outcome showed that there was a 24 month time frame for prevalent abstinence of nicotine. NicVax is currently in a phase IIB clinical study involving a multicenter, randomized study. The primary outcome that is being sought to measure is how the drug can better aid smoking cessation and long term abstinence. In 2011 the results of the study showed that the drug failed meet its primary endpoint.




 * Why is the vaccine important**

The (WHO) **W**orld **H**ealth **O**rganization estimates that there were more than 1.3 billion smokers worldwide and that 5 million deaths each year are tobacco related. Tobacco is the leading cause of death of more than 500,000 people in the United States. In China the death toll reaches nearly 700,000. As far as cancer goes, smoking contributes to 30% of them.


 * Side effects**

During the clinical trials, some users complained about having muscle aches, headaches, discomfort, colds, and track infections in the upper respiratory system. These conditions ranges mild to moderate during the trials in some users.


 * Personal Summary of NicVax**

NicVax has the potential to not only change the way we as a society view nicotine addiction, but how we view addiction in general overall. The goal of this drug is to block nicotine from making it to the brain so that it may not become addictive. The potential of this drug sets itself apart from other drugs because it the other nicotine related drugs hope to prolong your addiction to your next relapse to the point that the user potentially desires to not want the nicotine anymore. NicVax wants to end the nicotine addiction before it begins. Because of the 1.3 smokers worldwide that was has been referred to earlier, the market for such a product is huge. (NIDA) the US **N**ational **I**nstitute on **D**rug **A**buse awarded Nabi a $4.1 million grant for the further development program for NicVax.


 * Web** **Resources**

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