Production of a Plasma Derived Universal Antivenom against All Elapid Neurotoxic Snake Venoms

Snakebite envenoming has killed about 138000 people and maimed 400,000 victims annually. WHO designated this medical problem as one of the most neglected tropical diseases for which effective, affordable antivenoms (AVs) are urgently needed. Production potent AV against neurotoxic venoms was difficult thought to be due low immunogenicity postsynaptic neurotoxins (PSNT) cause death in victims. However, it showed that use ineffective adjuvant immunization horse root cause. The highly effective Freund (FA) causes severe local reactions could not used. A novel protocol termed ‘low dose volume multi-site’ tested shown obliterate side effect allow safe FA horse. led production 7 monovalent AVs, 2 polyvalent 4 another 3 hematotoxic venoms. These AVs treatment snakebite without need identify culprit snakes. Furthermore, we have a strategy using ‘Diverse toxin repertoire’ 12 Asian elapid fractions. resulting antiserum effectively neutralized at least 36 28 species encompassing 10 genera from 20 countries on continents, likely all snake results indicate universal antivenom world can produced save numerous lives.