Scientists are developing a universal anti-venom against 19 deadly species of snakes through the blood of a man who has voluntarily injected himself with snake venom 856 times over 18 years. This includes venom found in mambas, cobras, rattlesnakes, and more.
Somebody call up Robert Irwin!!
US-based and self-described snake expert Tim Friede first started collecting deadly snake species in 2000, and then began self-administering their venom in diluted and escalating doses in hopes to create an immunity shortly after.
Friede also has a YouTube channel that documents his ongoing process of snake venom injections.
Friede has been collecting venomous snakes since 2000, before he began injecting himself with diluted venom. (Source: YouTube/Tim Friede)
Friede once had a near-death experience after he was bitten by an Egyptian cobra and was in a coma for four days, per 9News.
Over the years, Friede slowly began generating antibodies that can neutralise a wide range of snake venom — and scientists at the US start-up Centivax have begun experimenting with his blood in hope of developing a universal anti-venom.
“The donor, for a period of nearly 18 years,” Centivax CEO and author of the study involving Friede’s blood, Jacob Glanville, said. “Had undertaken hundreds of bites and self-immunisations with escalating doses from 16 species of very lethal snakes that would normally kill a horse.
“What was exciting about the donor was his once-in-a-lifetime unique immune history.
“Not only did he potentially create these broadly neutralising antibodies, in this case, it could give rise to a broad-spectrum or universal antivenom.”
Friede’s antibodies are being developed by scientists for a universal antivenom. (Source: Getty Images)
The antivenom being developed includes two of Friede’s aforementioned antibodies — as well as a small molecule venom inhibitor — and which could drastically transform the ability to treat snake bites.
“The current technology hasn’t really changed in over 100 years,” said co-author and Columbia University biochemist Dr. Peter Kwong.
“Whereas with [this] approach…you can use all the tools of modern antibody therapy.”
The results from this study have so far only been proved successful in mice, but the team are still optimistic over their effectiveness in other mammals.
“It got really exciting when we started seeing mice live,” Dr. Kwong said.
Scientists tested the antivenom on the lab mice against the venom from 19 different snake species, finding that it provided full protection from 13 snake bites and partial protection from the others.
On average, snakes only kill around two to three people in Australia per year, despite being home to some of the most-venomous snakes in the world. This includes the Inland Taipan, the Eastern Brown Snake, and the Coastal Taipan.
Globally, however, snake bites take the lives of an estimated 80,000+ people on an annual basis.
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