An international research team led by Andreas Hougaard Laustsen-Kiel from DTU Bioengineering in Copenhagen, Denmark, has unveiled a promising new antivenom designed to combat snakebite, a neglected tropical disease that claims numerous lives in tropical regions each year. Unlike traditional methods that rely on extracting antibodies from the blood of large mammals such as horses, this innovative antivenom utilizes cutting-edge technology to produce antibody fragments known as “nanobodies.”
The new approach offers several advantages over conventional antivenom production methods. Traditional antivenoms create a broad, undefined mixture of antibodies, of which only a small fraction effectively neutralizes the most dangerous snake toxins. This can lead to significant variations in product quality and an increased risk of serious side effects. Furthermore, there is currently no single antivenom that can address the venom of all relevant snake species, which poses challenges in areas with high snakebite incidence.
A statement from DTU Bioengineering emphasized the importance of developing an antivenom that provides optimal and accurate treatment. Snakebite envenomation is recognized by the World Health Organization as one of 21 neglected tropical diseases, resulting in an estimated 100,000 to 150,000 deaths globally each year. Additionally, many survivors suffer from severe disabilities, including amputations and permanent tissue damage. In sub-Saharan Africa alone, there are over 300,000 reported snakebite cases annually, with thousands of fatalities and amputations.
The research team has engineered a more effective antivenom by combining eight specifically chosen nanobodies into a mixture that targets venom from 18 medically significant snake species in Africa. During in vivo testing, the antivenom exhibited promising efficacy, neutralizing the venom from 17 out of 18 tested species, with the exception of one green mamba species.
The successful neutralization included venoms from notable species such as the Jameson”s mamba, black mamba, cape cobra, and various spitting cobra species. Researchers noted that nanobodies penetrate tissues more rapidly and deeply than the larger antibodies used in current antivenoms. This characteristic allows for effective treatment even with delayed administration, significantly reducing tissue damage compared to existing antivenoms. Additionally, nanobodies present a lower risk of severe immune reactions, enabling earlier treatment without the need to wait for clear symptoms, which is a common practice with current antivenoms.
Clinical trials for this nanobody-based antivenom could commence within one to two years, contingent on securing adequate support. Researchers anticipate that a finished product may be available within three to four years. The findings related to this groundbreaking antivenom were published in the journal Nature.
