World
India
Researchers have created an “unparalleled” antivenom derived from the blood of a California man who voluntarily injected himself with snake venom for nearly two decades. Tim Friede, who began his self-experimentation in 2001, endured bites from some of the world’s most venomous snakes in pursuit of a universal cure for snakebites.
For 18 years, Friede deliberately exposed himself to fatal venoms in a personal effort to build immunity and advance medical science. His unconventional journey has now contributed to a significant breakthrough in venom treatment.
Unusual Experimentation With Snake Venom Leads to Medical Milestone
According to a report by CNN, antibodies found in Friede’s blood have demonstrated protective effects against lethal doses of venom from a broad spectrum of snake species during animal testing.
Immunologist Jacob Glanville, who became aware of Friede’s work in 2017 through media reports, saw potential in his blood. Glanville recalled, “We had this conversation. And I said, I know it’s awkward, but I’m really interested in looking at some of your blood. And he [Tim Friede] said, ‘Finally, I’ve been waiting for this call.’”
Following this exchange, Friede donated a 40-millilitre sample of his blood to Glanville and his research team.
Collaboration with Leading Scientists to Develop Snake Venom
Over the next eight years, Glanville collaborated with Peter Kwong, Richard J. Stock Professor of Medical Sciences at Columbia University’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. Together, they developed an antivenom capable of protecting against the bites of 19 venomous snake species.
“Tim’s antibodies are really quite extraordinary — he taught his immune system to get this very, very broad recognition,” said Prof Kwong, emphasizing the uniqueness of Friede’s immune response.
Rethinking Traditional Antivenom
Traditionally, antivenoms are produced by injecting small doses of snake venom into animals like horses. Once the animals’ immune systems respond by producing antibodies, those antibodies are harvested to create antivenom. However, these treatments often need to be specifically matched to the snake species and region. For instance, antivenom made from snakes in India may not be as effective against the same species in Thailand.
The newly developed antivenom cocktail, sourced from Friede’s blood, could potentially overcome this challenge. Although it has not yet been tested in humans, experts are optimistic that antibodies from a human origin may lead to fewer side effects compared to conventional animal-derived treatments.
