A new experimental serum developed using recombinant proteins showed promising results in rats, protecting against the venom of some of the most dangerous snakes on the African continent. The study, published in the journal Nature, could pave the way for more effective and safer treatments for snakebite victims.
Venomous snake bites remain a serious public health problem in Sub-Saharan Africa, causing thousands of deaths and serious injuries every year. The antivenoms currently available are produced from animal blood plasma, which makes them expensive, difficult to standardize, and sometimes responsible for adverse reactions. Moreover, they are not always effective against all medically important snake species or in preventing severe tissue damage.
An innovative antivenom made from nanobodies
The team led by Andreas Laustsen created an antivenom from nanobodies — small proteins of animal origin, genetically modified to recognize and neutralize toxins specific to venoms. These nanobodies were obtained after immunizing an alpaca and a llama with venoms from 18 African species, including several cobras and mambas.
In tests conducted in rats, the new serum was able to prevent death caused by 17 of the studied species and reduced tissue damage caused by some of the most potent venoms. Compared with the commercial antivenom Inoserp PAN-AFRICA, the new compound proved more effective at preventing death and skin necrosis in almost all tested species, although protection against green or black mambas (genus Dendroaspis) was only partial.
Less is more: efficacy with fewer components
The study results challenge the traditional notion that antivenoms require complex mixtures of numerous antibodies to be effective. According to the authors, a reduced combination of components can offer broad protection against several venomous species.
The next phase of the investigation will focus on increasing the serum’s stability and assessing its safety in clinical trials, with the aim of developing a new generation of antivenoms that are safer, more affordable, and broad-spectrum.
“These results are an important step toward ensuring that, in the future, antivenoms will be not only more effective but also more affordable for the populations that suffer most from this problem,” emphasise the researchers.
