Antivenom developed from one man may act as panacea

UF Health Podcasts

The way we create snake antivenom hasn’t changed much in a century. Using the standard methods leaves us with a concoction of antivenom that gets the job done. But there can be side effects, and some treatments only work to treat bites from certain snakes in specific regions.

Now, scientists may have found a better way — thanks to a man who spent years letting snakes bite him, as well as injecting himself with escalating doses of snake venom.

Tim Friede, a self-taught herpetologist, developed a kind of hyperimmunity to venom from snakes like the king cobra and black mamba, whose venom is so potent it can take out a horse.

When researchers analyzed his blood, they discovered antibodies that could neutralize a surprising number of deadly snake toxins. Using those antibodies, they created what may be one of the most broadly effective antivenoms to date.

The researchers gathered 19 of the world’s deadliest elapid [ell-uh-pidd] snakes — a group that includes cobras, mambas, krait [krite] and coral snakes. Then, they tested antibodies from Friede’s blood.

The result? A three-part cocktail: two human antibodies added to a small-molecule toxin-blocker. Together, it protected mice from all 19 snake venoms.

Any new treatments for snakebites are welcome. Some 600 species cause more than 100,000 deaths and 300,000 permanent disabilities in humans every year.

The team plans to apply the cocktail to dogs who come in for snake bite treatment in Australia. They hope to develop a second antivenom targeting vipers — the other major snake family.

Normally, nothing good comes from being bitten by a snake — but this may be a notable exception.