Study Shows That Anti-Fentanyl Antibody Reverses Signs of Carfentanil Overdose

A study found that an anti-fentanyl antibody reversed the signs of carfentanil overdose.

In the study, the investigators developed an antibody in single-chain fragment variable format that binds with very high affinity to several variants of fentanyl, including carfentanil—the most dangerous variant. They designed the antibody to enter the bloodstream quickly via intramuscular injection and to persist in the body in order to offer long-term protection.¹

Upon administering the antibody to rodents in the study, the investigators found that administration shortly following an overdose of carfentanil reverses the signs of the potentially deadly respiratory depression caused by carfentanil overdose.¹

The investigators concluded that these results show that the antibody has the potential to be a more powerful and longer-lasting treatment for synthetic opioid overdose. “We expect this antibody to be a valuable new weapon for fighting the opioid crisis,” said study senior author Kim D. Janda, PhD, the Ely R. Callaway, Jr. professor of chemistry at Scripps Research, in a press release.¹

Read the full study here.

Reference

1. Scripps Research Institute. Human antibody that targets carfentanil, fentanyl and related opioids reverses overdose effects in preclinical study. NewsWise. News release. August 7, 2023. Accessed August 21, 2023. https://www.newswise.com/articles/preclinical-study-shows-human-antibody-reverses-overdose-effects-of-carfentanil-fentanyl-and-related-opioids