Groundbreaking snake antidote may work against world’s deadliest snakes, offering new hope for millions of people at risk from venomous bites.
Scientists have created an antivenom that has shown promise against some of the world’s deadliest snakes after collecting antibodies from a hyperimmune man who exposed himself to their toxins.
Antivenom, also known as antivenene, is a medicine used to treat bites and stings from venomous animals.
It is made by milking the venom from snakes, spiders, or scorpions, then injecting it into a host animal, such as a horse or sheep.
The host's immune system responds by producing antibodies against the venom.
These antibodies are then extracted and purified to create antivenom.
Antivenom works by neutralizing the venom in the victim's body, preventing further damage.
Snake bites cause up to 137,000 deaths a year and around three times as many amputations and disabilities. Antivenoms are currently created for individual snake species using antibodies from sheep or horses that have been exposed to their venom. This approach is time-consuming and expensive, making it difficult to develop effective treatments against the world’s most venomous snakes.
Approximately 81,000 to 138,000 people die each year from snake bites globally.
The majority of these fatalities occur in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
Snake venom is a complex mixture of bioactive molecules that can cause renal failure, cardiovascular collapse, and respiratory distress.
There are over 600 species of venomous snakes, with the saw-scaled viper being responsible for the most deaths.
Researchers at biotechnology firm Centivax in San Francisco, California, are looking for broadly neutralising antibodies that could be developed into an antivenom that works against many, or even all, venomous snakes. Jacob Glanville and his team have identified a promising candidate in Tim Friede, who has self-administered over 700 escalating doses of snake venom from the world’s deadliest snakes.
From 40 milliliters of Friede’s blood, the team turned his “immune memory into a library of billions of antibodies”. “immune memory” . Promising candidates were then tested on mice that had been exposed to venom from 19 of the World Health Organization‘s list of the most dangerous species. Eventually, two antibodies from Friede’s blood, called LNX-D09 and SNX-B03, along with a toxin inhibitor called varespladib, were made into a treatment.
Antibodies are proteins produced by the immune system to fight infections.
They recognize and bind to specific antigens, marking them for destruction.
There are five main classes of antibodies: IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG, and IgM.
IgG is the most abundant antibody in the blood, providing long-term immunity against infections.
Antibodies play a crucial role in protecting against diseases such as influenza, tuberculosis, and HIV.
They can also be used to diagnose and monitor autoimmune disorders.
When this was tested on mice, it provided full protection against 13 of the species, including several types of cobra, the tiger snake (Notechis scutatus), and the common taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus). It also provided partial protection against the remaining six species, including the common death adder (Acanthophis antarcticus).
The next step is to test the treatment on animals that are brought to vet clinics in Australia after a snake bite. “gives hope for a universal treatment” . Tian Du at the University of Sydney, Australia, says that finding just two antibodies (with an inhibitor) that can cover such a spectrum of snakes gives hope for a universal treatment in the near-future. However, further research is needed to determine if the team’s treatment can prevent necrosis of the skin and muscles.
- newscientist.com | Innovative antivenom may work against the worlds deadliest snakes
