SEL-068

SEL-068 is a fully synthetic, nanoparticle-based vaccine candidate developed for smoking cessation and relapse prevention. It is designed to induce an immune response against nicotine, thereby reducing its effects and helping individuals quit smoking or prevent relapse. The vaccine consists of a targeted Synthetic Vaccine Particle (tSVP) platform comprising four main components: a biodegradable polymer matrix, a synthetic Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonist as adjuvant, a universal T cell helper peptide, and nicotine covalently conjugated to the nanoparticle surface as the B cell antigen. This design enables efficient delivery to lymph nodes and robust induction of high-affinity anti-nicotine antibodies while minimizing systemic inflammatory responses. Preclinical studies in mice and non-human primates demonstrated that SEL-068 generates strong anti-nicotine antibody titers with high affinity for nicotine, effectively blocking or attenuating nicotine’s behavioral effects without affecting responses to other nicotinic drugs. Clinical development reached Phase 1 trials in humans[1][3][6][7].