An international team of researchers has used genetic engineering to create the first ever "product-ready" antivenom for snakes such as cobras and mambas.
The groundbreaking research is published in Nature by a team led by the Technical University of Denmark with The Scripps Research Institute, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Lancaster University, University of Northern Colorado, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, University of Bristol, University of Liverpool and Sophion Bioscience in Denmark.
Dr Stefanie Menzies from Lancaster University said: "This work shows how we developed the first "product-ready" recombinant snakebite antivenom that covers all the elapid species in Africa, including cobras, mambas, and rinkhals snakes, and which outperforms existing serum-derived antivenoms."
Because the antibodies are produced recombinantly - using genetic engineering - rather than harvested from immunized animals, future manufacturing does not depend on the use of animals. This enables scalable, ethical, and fully defined production with consistent quality and specificity. The hope is also, that it may also lead to more inexpensive antivenoms.
Snakebite is a neglected tropical disease (NTD), causing over 100,000 deaths annually and 300,000 disabilities each year, mostly in poor rural communities. Snakebite is one of the 21 NTDs recognized by the WHO, yet snakebite kills more people than the other 20 NTDs combined.
Current animal-derived antivenoms are lifesaving but flawed, showing batch variability, side effects, and limited snake species coverage. Creating an antivenom that works for all bites is extremely challenging because each snake species produces a different mix of toxins that attack nerves, blood, or tissues.
This study used genetic engineering to develop a recombinant nanobody-based antivenom, combining eight alpaca- and llama-derived nanobodies that neutralize seven toxin families across cobras, mambas, and rinkhals snakes - all African elapids. Elapids include well-known snakes such as cobras, mambas, coral snakes, and sea snakes.
The new therapy outperformed traditional serum antivenoms, preventing death and tissue damage in animal models while offering greater safety and consistency. The work validates a rational, modular platform, proving that a small, defined antibody mixture can replace complex animal-plasma products.
Dr Menzies said: "This research highlights the potential of biotechnology to develop antivenoms capable of neutralising toxins from multiple snake species. While clinical validation will be crucial, these findings represent an important step towards improving the treatment of snakebite."
Next steps include optimizing large-scale production and clinical translation to make recombinant antivenoms accessible in the field.
Lead author Professor Andreas Hougaard Laustsen-Kiel from the Technical University of Denmark said: "It is fantastic to see how international collaboration between complementary research groups can help make a mission like this successful. I truly believe that team efforts like this can help transform snakebite envenoming therapy and bring better treatments to those victims most in need."
