Researchers from the biotechnology company Centivax, in collaboration with the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Columbia University, announced the creation of a new antivenom capable of protecting against bites from 19 species of venomous snakes in the Elapidae family. This family includes some of the world’s most dangerous fauna, such as cobras, mambas, taipans, and kraits.
The drug, published in the journal Cell, is based on antibodies isolated from the blood of American herpetologist Tim Friede, who over 20 years has survived more than 800 snake bites and numerous self-injections of diluted venoms. This extreme experience has made his body a unique source of antibodies against a wide range of toxins.
The team, led by Centivax CEO Jacob Glanville and biochemist Peter Kwong, created a three-component drug:
LNX-D09 – neutralizes long-chain neurotoxins.
SNX-B03 – acts against short-chain neurotoxins.
Varespladib – blocks phospholipase A₂, which destroys cell membranes.
In laboratory trials on mice, the cocktail showed 100% protection against the venom of 13 snake species and significantly reduced envenomation symptoms for the remaining six.
According to the WHO, up to 138,000 people die from snakebites annually, predominantly in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Traditional antivenoms are produced using technology that is over 125 years old, relying on animal antibodies.
Centivax plans to conduct further trials of the drug on snake-bitten dogs in Australia and is already working on a similar treatment against viper venom.
