U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Development of Novel Immunotherapeutics for Opioid Addiction
Overview
The Research Need
High rates of relapse and overdose deaths pose significant challenges in the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD). Anti-opioid immunotherapies (i.e., vaccines and monoclonal antibodies) have great potential to reduce long-term opioid use and overdose, with minimal risk of side effects. They may be used in conjunction with pharmacological treatments and/or behavioral therapies. Immunotherapies that render less access of opioids to the brain may provide an important adjunct therapy for patients undergoing treatment for OUD and protect from the effects of opioid overdose on the brain. Currently, there are no FDA-approved vaccines or monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of substance use disorders.
About the Program
The objective of the program is to support the pre-clinical and clinical evaluation of innovative anti-opioid immunotherapeutics (i.e., vaccines and monoclonal antibodies) that can be safe and effective for OUD and overdose.
Open Funding Opportunities
Program Details
To date, through the Helping to End Addiction Long-term® Initiative, or NIH HEAL Initiative®, NIH has funded 12 awards and two contracts for this program, totaling $41.4 million.
- Boston Children’s Hospital – Massachusetts
- Butler University – Rhode Island
- Duke University – North Carolina
- Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute – Minnesota
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine – Maryland
- Scripps Research Institute – Florida
- Tulane University – Louisiana
- University of Chicago – Illinois
- University of Montana – Montana
- University of New Mexico Health Science Center – New Mexico
- University of Texas Medical Branch – Texas
Contact
Mary MacDonald, Ph.D.
NIDA DTMC