Scientists at Scripps Research have developed a synthetic antibody that can efficiently neutralize venom from deadly snakes in the Elapidae family, such as the black mamba, king cobra, and kraits.
The researchers found a new method to circumvent the traditional antivenoms that rely on antibodies produced by injecting animals with snake venom, which poses risks linked to animal proteins and variations in antibody effectiveness.
They identified a common protein type in different elapid snakes and refined their selection to find an antibody called 95Mat5 that was effective against most variations of the protein.
Initial tests on mice injected with venom from various snakes have shown that all rodents survived after receiving doses of 95Mat5 and avoided paralysis.
Joseph Jardine, the senior author, and assistant professor of immunology and microbiology at Scripps Research, notes that the antibody could be highly beneficial for individuals in low- and middle-income countries facing the highest burden of deaths and injuries from snakebites.
Although 95Mat5 is effective against elapid venom, it does not block viper venom. Viper venom is the venom of the second group of venomous snakes. The researchers are now working on developing broadly neutralizing antibodies against another elapid toxin and two viper toxins. They believe that combining 95Mat5 with these other antibodies could provide broad protection against many or all snake venoms.
Jardine emphasized that this breakthrough could mean that a single universal antivenom could replace the need for stockpiling hundreds of antivenoms.
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