Vaccine May Help Smokers Kick Habit
Mass General Hospital Recruiting Smokers For Clinical Trial
POSTED: 1:19 pm EST November 10,
2009
UPDATED: 6:39 am EST November 11,
2009
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BOSTON -- Boston researchers are investigating a new approach to help people stay off cigarettes.The experimental drug comes in the form of a vaccine and researchers are looking for healthy smokers over 18 to give it a try."I felt as though the drug, nicotine, was controlling me, and I wasn't controlling it. And I just wanted control over my life again," said Leslie Cook.Smoking ruled Leslie Cook's life for 25 years, and she was desperate to quit.
Video"I tried the patch. I tried the gum. I tried a crazy thing off an infomercial and nothing worked," she said.Then, three years ago, she tried an investigational vaccine called NicVAX as part of a clinical trial at Massachusetts General Hospital."To this day, I haven't smoked a cigarette since. I don't want one," she said."The drug does work," said Dr. Nancy Rigotti, director of the Tobacco Research and Treatment center at MGH.Rigotti wants NicVAX to be available to more smokers. She's heading up a large clinical trial at the hospital, one of 20 sites across the country. They're trying to see how many shots are needed to help patients kick the habit. Patients will get six shots over six months."They wouldn't take the drug and quit tomorrow. A couple of months down the road they would try to quit," Rigotti said.Rigotti explained that when someone smokes, the nicotine enters the brain, triggering the release of dopamine, a chemical that gives smokers a high.Research shows NicVAX stops the high by generating antibodies that latch onto nicotine in a smoker's body, preventing the nicotine from entering the brain."So, overtime, less and less nicotine gets into the brain as the antibody level rises," she said." As a result, the smoker doesn't get much pleasure from smoking and they eventually kind of wean off cigarettes.""It's a miracle tool to allow you to quit, as far as I'm concerned," Cook said.According to researchers, the most common side effect was soreness at the injection site.You can get more information on the study by calling (617) 724-3157 or e-mailing mghsmokingstudies@gmail.com.
Video"I tried the patch. I tried the gum. I tried a crazy thing off an infomercial and nothing worked," she said.Then, three years ago, she tried an investigational vaccine called NicVAX as part of a clinical trial at Massachusetts General Hospital."To this day, I haven't smoked a cigarette since. I don't want one," she said."The drug does work," said Dr. Nancy Rigotti, director of the Tobacco Research and Treatment center at MGH.Rigotti wants NicVAX to be available to more smokers. She's heading up a large clinical trial at the hospital, one of 20 sites across the country. They're trying to see how many shots are needed to help patients kick the habit. Patients will get six shots over six months."They wouldn't take the drug and quit tomorrow. A couple of months down the road they would try to quit," Rigotti said.Rigotti explained that when someone smokes, the nicotine enters the brain, triggering the release of dopamine, a chemical that gives smokers a high.Research shows NicVAX stops the high by generating antibodies that latch onto nicotine in a smoker's body, preventing the nicotine from entering the brain."So, overtime, less and less nicotine gets into the brain as the antibody level rises," she said." As a result, the smoker doesn't get much pleasure from smoking and they eventually kind of wean off cigarettes.""It's a miracle tool to allow you to quit, as far as I'm concerned," Cook said.According to researchers, the most common side effect was soreness at the injection site.You can get more information on the study by calling (617) 724-3157 or e-mailing mghsmokingstudies@gmail.com. Copyright 2009 by TheBostonChannel.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
