Thanks to hundreds of self-inflicted snake bites, a Wisconsin man has been able to donate his antibodies to science, leading to the “most broadly effective antivenom to date,” according to a press release.
New research published in Cell discusses the first use of human antibodies to help create an antivenom that can be effective against multiple species of venomous snakes, including black mamba, king cobra, and tiger snakes. Combined with a small molecule inhibitor, this could help create a universal antiserum.
Creating a Universal Antivenom
When working with a typical antivenom-making process, experts immunize either horses or sheep against one specific type of snake venom. From there, they then harvest those antibodies and create the antivenom. While this process has worked in the past, there have been some adverse effects because some people don’t react well to the non-human antibodies.
