Hapten-carrier conjugates for use in drug-abuse therapy and methods for preparation of same

1 - 87 . (canceled)

88 . A hapten-carrier conjugate comprising at least one hapten and at least one carrier containing a T cell epitope, wherein the hapten is a hallucinogen, a cannabinoid, a depressant, heroin, methadone, morphine, meperidine, codeine, pentazocine, propoxyphene, ecstasy, amphetamine, phenmetrazine or methylphenidate or a derivative or a metabolite thereof, and wherein the hapten and the carrier are linked by a branch selected from the group of chemical moieties identified by CJ reference number, consisting of:

CJ 0

Q

CJ 1

(CH 2 ) n Q

CJ 1.1

CO 2 Q

CJ 1.2

COQ

CJ 2

OCO(CH 2 ) n Q

CJ 2.1

OCOCH═Q

CJ 2.2

OCOCH(O)CH 2

CJ 2.3

OCO(CH 2 ) n CH 2

CJ 3

CO(CH 2 ) n COQ

CJ 3.1

CO(CH 2 ) n CNQ

CJ 4

OCO(CH 2 ) n COQ

CJ 4.1

OCO(CH 2 ) n CNQ

CJ 5

CH 2 OCO(CH 2 ) n COQ

CJ 5.1

CH 2 OCO(CH 2 ) n CNQ

CJ 6

CONH(CH 2 ) n Q

CJ 7

Y(CH 2 ) n Q

CJ 7.1

CH 2 Y(CH 2 ) n Q

CJ 8

OCOCH(OH)CH 2 Q

CJ 8.1

OCO(CH 2 ) n CH(OH)CH 2 Q

CJ 9

OCOC 6 H 5

CJ 10

CJ10 shown on FIG. 2b

CJ 11

YCO(CH 2 )nCOQ;

wherein Y is sulfur (S), oxygen (O), or an amine (NH), and wherein n is an integer, and wherein Q comprises H, OH, OCH 3 , CH 2 , CH 3 , COOH, a halogen, an activated ester, a mixed anhydride, an acyl halide, an acyl azide, an alkyl halide, N-maleimide, an imino ester, isocyanate, isothiocyanate, another branch of its CJ reference number, and/or a T-cell epitope-containing carrier.

89 . The hapten-carrier conjugate of claim 88 , wherein n is an integer from 3 to 20.

90 . The hapten-carrier conjugate of claim 88 , wherein the hallucinogen is mescaline or LSD.

91 . the hapten-carrier conjugate of claim 88 , wherein the depressant is a nonbarbiturate, methaqualone, a barbiturate, diazepam, flurazepam, phencyclidine, or fluxetine.

92 . The hapten-carrier conjugate of claim 88 , wherein the carrier is a protein, a peptide, a bacterial toxin, a product of a bacterial toxin, a subviral, lectin, an allergen, a fragment of an allergen, a malarial protein antigen, an artificial multi-antigenic peptide, or a modification, analog or a derivative thereof.

93 . The hapten-carrier conjugate of claim 88 , wherein the carrier is cholera toxin B, diphtheria toxin, tetanus toxoid, pertussis toxin, filamentous hemagglutinin, Shiga toxin, pseudomonas exotoxin, ricin B subunit, abrin, sweet pea lectin, retrovirus nucleoprotein, rabies nucleoprotein, tobacco mosaic virus, cauliflower mosaic virus, vesicular stomatitis virus-nucleocapsid protein, poxvirus subunit, Semliki forest virus vector or yeast virus-like particle.

94 . The hapten-carrier conjugate of claim 93 , wherein the carrier is cholera toxin B (CTB).

95 . A therapeutic composition comprising the hapten-carrier conjugate of claim 88 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

96 . The therapeutic composition of claim 95 further comprising an adjuvant.

97 . The therapeutic composition of claim 96 , wherein the adjuvant is alum, MF-59 or RIBI adjuvant.

98 . The therapeutic composition of claim 97 , wherein the alum is aluminum hydroxide or aluminum phosphate.

99 . A method of inducing an immune response in a subject in need thereof, the method comprising administering the subject an effective amount of the composition of claim 95 .

100 . A method of preventing and/or treating a drug addiction, the method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of the composition of claim 95 .

101 . The method of claim 99 , wherein the subject is a mammal.

102 . The method of claim 100 , wherein the subject is a mammal.

103 . The method of claim 99 , wherein the subject is a human.

104 . The method of claim 100 , wherein the subject is a human.