Knoxville, TNSmokers who want to kick the habit but are nervous about side effects associated with smoking cessation drugs like Chantix may find a solution in a simple injection.
The Volunteer Research Center at the University of Tennessee Medical Center is one of 26 facilities in the country that is in the second Phase III trial testing of the Nicotine Conjugate Vaccine (NicVAX), according to the Knoxville News Sentinel.
When a person smokes, tiny nicotine molecules enter the blood and travel to the brain, triggering a release of chemicals that produce a reaction that some smokers enjoy. After multiple injections of NicVAX, made by Nabi Biopharmaceuticals, the body produces antibodies that bond to nicotine, keeping it out of the brain. This typically means that smokers are more likely to quit and not resume smoking.
The FDA has fast-tracked the testing of the drug in part because NicVAX doesn't have any of the serious side effects, including aggression and suicide, of drugs like Chantix.
The Knoxville study is working to find out the optimal number of injections of NicVAX.
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