New research points toward a potential universal antivenom
Image credit: jediequester via Unsplash
A man’s long history of exposing himself to venomous snakebites and repeated venom injections over 18 years has attracted scientific attention for its potential medical value. Researchers believe his immune response may help guide the development of broader antivenom treatments, including a possible universal antivenom. The need is urgent with the World Health Organization classifying snakebite as a neglected tropical disease, and nearly 3 million people suffer venomous snakebites each year, a burden that may worsen as climate change increases contact between snakes and humans.
Source
Glanville, J., Bellin, M., Pletnev, S., Zhang, B., Andrade, J. C., Kim, S., Tsao, D., Verardi, R., Bedi, R., Liao, S., Newland, R., Bayless, N. L., Youssef, S., Tully, E. S., Bylund, T., Kim, S., Hirou, H., Liu, T., & Kwong, P. D. (2025). Snake venom protection by a cocktail of varespladib and broadly neutralizing human antibodies. Cell, 188(12), 3117–3134.e11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2025.03.050
Additional Reading
https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025/05/06/snakebite-antibodies-universal-antivenom/
https://people.com/man-bitten-by-venomous-snakes-on-purpose-helps-make-antivenom-11941904
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/apr/09/intentional-snakebites-antivenom