Immunovaccine said the new vaccine would prevent cocaine molecules from reaching the brain by stimulating the body’s own immune system.
As part of the project, Cornell’s novel cocaine antigen will combined with Immunovaccine’s DepoVax adjuvanting platform to strengthen the immune response.
The new study seeks to create a stronger and longer lasting immunity in mice, and if successful, the study could speed the way to human trials.
The project is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and builds on earlier cocaine vaccine work at Weill Cornell in 2010.
The new study will determine if the addition of the DepoVax adjuvanting technology will trigger an even stronger and longer-lasting immune response, said the company.
Immunovaccine chief science officer Marc Mansour said the use of a viral vector linked to a drug analog in order to elicit antibodies and suppress the characteristic drug behavior represents a new approach for addiction treatments.
"By incorporating the vaccine in DepoVax, we hope to significantly enhance the level of antibodies produced by the vaccine," Mansour added.