Snake Antivenom Made Using Blood of Man Bitten 200 Times

A novel broad-spectrum antivenom has been developed using antibodies derived from a man who spent nearly two decades deliberately exposing himself to venomous snakes. This experimental therapy, combined with an existing drug, has shown promising results in protecting mice from lethal doses of venom from 19 different species, including the notorious king cobra.

Current antivenoms are species-specific and rely on antibodies harvested from animals like horses, which are injected with venom. These treatments work, but only if the snake species is known and the antivenom is matched precisely—something not always possible in real-world emergencies.

The new treatment aims to solve this limitation by targeting common toxin structures shared across the Elapidae family, which includes cobras, mambas, taipans, and kraits.

The Man Behind the Antibodies

Tim Friede, a former truck mechanic from the US, spent 18 years building up immunity to snake venom by injecting himself with doses prepared from some of the world’s deadliest snakes. Over that time, he endured more than 200 actual bites and around 700 venom exposures. His self-experimentation started as a personal safety measure for handling snakes but evolved into a mission to contribute to better global treatments for snakebites.

Despite serious risks—including one incident that left him in a coma—Friede meticulously documented his progress and later agreed to donate blood samples for scientific research. The antibodies found in his immune system are unusually broad in their response, making them ideal candidates for developing a treatment effective across multiple snake species.

What’s in the Antivenom Cocktail?

Researchers from Centivax, a biotech firm based in California, and Columbia University in New York, combined two monoclonal antibodies derived from Friede’s blood with varespladib, a drug known to inhibit snake venom enzymes. These enzymes break down muscle and nerve tissues during envenomation.

The antibody pair is designed to recognize and neutralize two key types of toxins found in elapid snake venom—short-chain neurotoxins (SNX) and long-chain neurotoxins (LNX), both of which interfere with nerve function. Both of these toxin classes disrupt communication between nerve cells, potentially causing paralysis or respiratory failure. By binding to shared molecular structures on these toxins, the antibodies neutralize their effects.

When combined into a single treatment, this formulation successfully shielded mice from fatal venom doses across all 19 tested elapid species. While some cases saw complete protection, others showed noticeably higher survival rates compared to untreated controls.

A Step Toward Universal Coverage

While the current focus is on elapid snakes, researchers believe similar techniques could eventually address venom from vipers, which rely on a different class of toxins such as haemotoxins and cytotoxins. These future developments would require additional antibody components targeting other toxin classes.

Dr. Jacob Glanville of Centivax highlighted the advantage of using human-derived antibodies, as they are less likely to trigger adverse immune reactions compared to those produced in animals.

Friede’s decision to build his own immunity through repeated venom exposure has sparked ethical debate within the scientific community. Scientists involved in the study made it clear that they neither encouraged nor replicated his methods. Now that the key antibodies have been identified, future research can proceed without further human exposure.

Challenges Ahead Before Human Use

Despite its success in animal trials, the antivenom must undergo extensive testing before it can be used in human patients. One key challenge is the large-scale production of these antibodies at an affordable cost, especially for regions where snakebite incidents are common but resources are limited.

To advance the research, Centivax intends to conduct additional trials in Australia, starting with dogs that have suffered snakebites. The animals will first be treated with the experimental cocktail, and if ineffective, conventional antivenom will be administered.

Experts agree that broad-spectrum solutions could revolutionize snakebite care, but they caution that accessibility remains just as critical as efficacy. According to the World Health Organization, snakebites kill up to 140,000 people each year and leave many others permanently disabled, often due to delayed treatment or lack of antivenom in rural regions.

This experimental cocktail could eventually reduce that toll—if it proves effective, scalable, and affordable.

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