Anti-Smoking Vaccine Is Nearing the Market

eldavojohn writes "Almost 6 years ago we discussed a vaccine to help people quit smoking as it entered human clinical trials. Now it looks like the finishing touches have been put on a deal that will go into effect once phase III testing of the drug now called NicVAX is completed. NicVAX was developed by Nabi Biopharmaceuticals, who have agreed to license it to GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals; it is expected to complete phase III testing successfully. Others have fallen short of this goal, in pursuit of a smoking-cessation market expected to hit $4.6 billion worldwide by 2016. Nabi has also sold an experimental vaccine for staph infections; and in 2008 we discussed news of a cocaine vaccine."

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Re:Or

[MightyMartian]

Indeed.

I was a heavy smoker; three packs a day, and I rolled my own (so no filter to douse any of the carcinogenic goodness!) I never thought I'd quit, and really didn't want to. Then, almost nine years ago to the day, I came down with a horribly bad lung infection coupled with probably the single worst ear infection ever. I remember walking up the stairs to the second floor of my apartment would literally take about ten minutes to recover from. I realized at that moment that, while I'd probably get over this one (I was about 28 years old at the time), and I'd get over the next one, and so on, but eventually, sometime in the next fifteen to twenty years my lungs were going to be so fucked up that I'd be stuck with emphysema, probably congestive heart failure and ultimately dying by drowning in my own fluids, and that was if I was lucky, because I could also get lung cancer, and the process would be all the worse.

I threw out my tobacco, left my wallet at home when I went to work so that even if I caved in, I'd have to go out like a bumb on to the street to beg for a smoke. I ate carrots like I was a rabbit with an OCD, just so I had something to do with my mouth. The first week I was still so sick that I couldn't tell withdrawal from everything else that was wrong with me. The second week, it was tough, I was irritable and my mouth seemed to be constantly salivating. The third week it was a little better, and after a month the nic fits were coming only a couple of times a day. I called myself done after a year, and have never picked up a cigarette since.

It was tough at times, but I'm proud of myself that I didn't run to the doctor, stick a patch on, chew nicotine gum or do anything to try to wean myself. I quit cold turkey and never looked back.