Nicotine vaccine helps smokers quit

OMAHA, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers say a clinical trial shows a nicotine vaccine can help people quit smoking and produces antibodies against nicotine.

NicVax, made by Nabi Biopharmaceuticals, was tested on 301 study participants in nine centers across the country, the University of Nebraska Medical Center said Wednesday in a news release.

Dr. Stephen Rennard, who presented the study results at the 80th American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in Orlando, Fla., said there was a significant relationship between anti-nicotine antibody levels and continuous abstinence from smoking. He said NicVAX was well-tolerated and showed no differences in adverse events or in local/systemic reactions between placebo and each active vaccine group.

Researchers said the vaccine works by preventing nicotine from entering the brain, which may reduce the pleasurable effects of smoking.