London, Nov 18 Good news for smokers struggling to quit: an injectable vaccine has been developed that may help them kick the habit.

Smokers could soon have access to the vaccine following a deal between GlaxoSmithKline and Nabi Pharmaceuticals, the company that developed the drug.

The NicVAX vaccine creates anti-bodies that bind to nicotine molecules and stops them entering the blood flowing into the brain, where the pleasurable sensation is created.

Tests of the vaccine have shown that it can halve the number of smokers who go back to nicotine after trying to give it up.

The deal will see GSK paying 24 million pounds up front and 296 million pounds to Nabi.

"If approved this... technology could be a novel solution to help the millions of smokers who want to stop smoking and remain abstinent; a habit that is very well documented to be very hard to stop permanently," the Telegraph quoted Jean Stephenne, president of GSK's Biologicals division, as saying. (ANI)