Danish Scientists Develop Antivenom Effective Against 17 African Snake Species

Researchers from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) have developed a new broad-spectrum antivenom showing effectiveness against 17 venomous African snake species, offering major hope in the global fight against snakebite deaths and disabilities.

Key Highlights

• Developed by: Scientists at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU).
• Composition: A cocktail of eight nanobodies — recombinant antibody fragments derived from camelid heavy-chain antibodies.
• Technology used: Phage display technology – a molecular screening tool enabling identification and replication of antibody fragments (nanobodies) that bind strongly to venom toxins.
• Effectiveness:
  • Provided strong protection against 17 African snake venoms, including cobras and rinkhals.
  • Reduced tissue damage and immune reaction risks compared to traditional antivenoms.
  • Showed partial effectiveness against black mamba and forest cobra, indicating need for further optimization.
• Publication: The findings were published in Nature.
• Next step: Human clinical trials are yet to be conducted.

Background

• Snakebite burden:
  • Over 100,000 deaths annually worldwide.
  • Classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a “Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD)” due to its high fatality and disability rates in low-resource settings, particularly in Africa and South Asia.
• Phage display technology (introduced in 1985):
  • Displays peptides or proteins on bacteriophage surfaces, helping scientists identify high-affinity ligands (binding molecules).
  • Used in drug discovery, vaccine development, and antibody engineering.
• Nanobodies:
  • Small, single-domain fragments derived from heavy-chain-only antibodies (HCAbs) found in camelids (e.g., camels, llamas).
  • First discovered in 1993 by Belgian scientists in camel serum.
  • Advantages: Small size, high solubility, superior stability, rapid blood clearance, and deep tissue penetration.
  • Widely applied in diagnostics, targeted therapy, and toxin neutralization.

Sources: Science, Others