Snake collector’s immunity quest opens path towards universal antivenom

Blood from man bitten hundreds of times by deadly species is used to create most broadly protective antivenom yetHe has self-administered more than 850 doses of venom from cobras, mambas, rattlesnakes and other deadly species in pursuit of a singular quest: to develop immunity to snake bites in the hope of helping scientists create a universal antivenom.Now the extreme 18-year experiment by Tim Friede, a former truck mechanic from Wisconsin, appears to have paid off. Scientists have used antibodies from his blood to create the most broadly protective antivenom to date, which could revolutionise the treatment of snake bites. Continue reading...

May 2, 2025 - 16:12
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Snake collector’s immunity quest opens path towards universal antivenom

Blood from man bitten hundreds of times by deadly species is used to create most broadly protective antivenom yet

He has self-administered more than 850 doses of venom from cobras, mambas, rattlesnakes and other deadly species in pursuit of a singular quest: to develop immunity to snake bites in the hope of helping scientists create a universal antivenom.

Now the extreme 18-year experiment by Tim Friede, a former truck mechanic from Wisconsin, appears to have paid off. Scientists have used antibodies from his blood to create the most broadly protective antivenom to date, which could revolutionise the treatment of snake bites. Continue reading...