Overview
- A Nature study reports an eight-nanobody antivenom that neutralized venom from 17 of 18 African elapids, including cobras and mambas, in pre-mixed mouse tests.
- Post-envenomation experiments showed reduced effectiveness, though the treatment prevented death from six species and lessened local tissue damage.
- Engineered from llama and alpaca antibodies, the nanobodies are smaller and more stable than traditional antibodies, enabling freeze-drying and potentially fewer severe immune reactions.
- Recombinant manufacturing could provide consistent, scalable supply and reduce reliance on horse-derived, species-specific antivenoms with variable quality and higher side-effect risks.
- Researchers are optimizing the cocktail and planning larger-animal studies, with sub-Saharan Africa recording roughly 300,000 bites and about 7,000 deaths each year.