The Need:

Cocaine abuse has been an issue in the United States since the late 1980s. Furthermore, antidepressants also quite dangerous, with nearly 14% of users (who have bipolar disorder) experiencing dependence. Naloxone (marketed as Narcan) is highly effective but can only be used in the event of an overdose. Therefore, the need for a preventative drug to help addicts break their addiction is immense.

The Technology:

This is a knock-in mouse line. The norepinephrine transporter was modified with triple mutations that makes the transporter protein resistant to cocaine and antidepressants. The mouse line may be useful for developing new drugs or therapies. The NET-CI knock-in mouse model is available from The Jackson Laboratory (Strain #:024166).

Commercial Applications:

• Treats a serious medical issue in the US
• Effective research tool that could be a gateway to other applications

Benefits/Advantages:

• Proactive treatment instead of reactive
• Genetic change doesn’t require a strict pill regiment