Snake Antivenom: A team of scientists has created a new antivenom that could be the most effective treatment for snake bites. This antivenom was developed using the blood of a man who spent years intentionally exposing himself to venom from some of the deadliest snakes in the world.
The team, led by Jacob Glanville, an immunologist and CEO of Centivax, published their findings in the journal Cell. According to Glanville, the donor, Tim Friede, has a “unique immune history.”
Friede, who is a self-taught snake expert, has spent nearly 18 years voluntarily getting bitten by snakes and injecting himself with venom to build up immunity. Over time he endured bites from snakes like the black mamba, king cobra, and tiger snake, which are all incredibly dangerous. His goal was to help develop a treatment for others who might be bitten by these venomous snakes, reports BCC.
Snake Antivenom That Could Save Lives
Using Friede’s blood, the scientists created a special antivenom cocktail. They combined the antibodies from Friede’s blood with a toxin inhibitor called varespladib. The results of their experiments showed that the antivenom worked well in protecting animals from snake venom. In trials with mice, the treatment was able to stop the venom from killing them, even when the snakes involved were some of the most venomous in the world.
The next step for the team is to test this antivenom on dogs in Australia, where snake bites are common. They also want to create an antivenom that works against other types of snakes, like vipers.
Tim Friede Experiment
Tim Friede’s journey to help create this antivenom started in 2000 when he began injecting himself with venom to build immunity. He believed that by doing so, he could create a cure for snake bites. He even spent time milking venom from dangerous snakes and injecting himself with increasing doses over the years.
Despite suffering some scary experiences, including being in a coma after being bitten by a cobra, he kept going. For nearly two decades, Friede endured over 200 bites and injected himself with about 500 doses of venom.
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While his experiments were dangerous and carried a lot of risks, they eventually led to the breakthrough that could save many lives. In 2017, Jacob Glanville reached out to Friede after learning about his dangerous experiment. The scientists used Friede’s blood to create a collection of antibodies that could fight the venom from many species of snakes.
The antivenom is still in the testing stages, but it shows great promise. The next step is to see how it works in larger animals, and eventually, the team hopes to start human clinical trials. Friede, who no longer self-immunizes, is happy to know that his dangerous experiment may one day help others. However, he also warns people not to try what he did, as it carries a lot of risks.
The team believes this antivenom could be a huge breakthrough in the fight against snake bites, which currently cause over 100,000 deaths and 300,000 permanent disabilities every year.
