'Unparalleled' Snake Antivenom Made With Antibodies From a Man Bitten 200 Times (abc.net.au)
- Reference: 0177289997
- News link: https://science.slashdot.org/story/25/05/03/2040208/unparalleled-snake-antivenom-made-with-antibodies-from-a-man-bitten-200-times
- Source link: https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2025-05-03/universal-antivenom-snake-research/105233130
> Tim Friede, Wisconsin man, has been injecting himself with snake venom for 18 years to gain protection from his pet snakes. The antibodies he developed have formed two components of a three-part antivenom, which gives partial or total protection against 18 of 19 species of venomous snakes that were tested. Notably, the antivenom is ineffective against vipers.
[2]From Australia's public broadcaster ABC :
> The team's results have been published today in the journal [3]Cell ... The new antivenom described in the study is very different to traditional antivenoms, according to Peter Kwong, a biochemist at Columbia University and one of the study's authors.
The scientists call their new antivenom "unparallel," [4]according to the BBC , though the snake enthusiast (a former truck mechanic) had "initially wanted to build up his immunity to protect himself when handling snakes, documenting his exploits on YouTube."
> The team is trying to refine the antibodies further and see if adding a fourth component could lead to total protection against elapid snake venom... "Tim's antibodies are really quite extraordinary — he taught his immune system to get this very, very broad recognition," said Professor Peter Kwong [one of the researchers at Columbia University].
In a video interview, CNN shows [5]footage of the man inducing snake bites (calling it "a classic do-not-try-this-at-home moment"). "I have a lot of notes in Excel files," he tells CNN, "where I hit these particular windows to where I know I can boost up before a bite."
"I don't just take the bite, because that can kill you. I properly boost up, and methodically take notes, and weigh the venomes out very specifically..."
[1] https://slashdot.org/~piojo
[2] https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2025-05-03/universal-antivenom-snake-research/105233130
[3] https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(25)00402-7%20%20DOI:%20http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2025.03.050
[4] https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr5d0l7el36o
[5] https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/03/science/video/snake-bite-expert-universal-antivenom-digvid
Next: Iocane Powder (Score:1)
Perhaps I'm ignorant of the underlying biology involved, but is anyone besides me having difficulty seeing how "antibodies" can be effective against hemotoxins or neurotoxins?
Re: (Score:3)
While it isn't covered in lower level biology classes much, antivenom treatments were actually the first antibody treatments available. It's only recently that we've used antibody treatments for diseases such as COVID.
Basically, an antibody is simply a protein that binds to a target protein and has a marker on it basically saying "eat me!" Ideally, said antibody will bind to the target protein in such a way as to disable it. IE a viral particle with an antibody on it being unable to inject its payload be
Re: (Score:3)
My understanding is it's because most of the neurotoxins found in snake venom are proteins (ie, structures made from protein) and can be neutralized with proteins. Snake venom isn't arsenic.
Re: (Score:2)
No, plenty of vaccines cause you to develop antibodies against bacterial toxins, for example. They can't hit your binding sites if they're bound with antibodies.
wont do me any good (Score:2)
the only poisonous snake where i am currently located is the western diamondback rattlesnake which is a viper, they usually only hunt at night where i am (mojave desert)_and i dont go out at night
Re: (Score:3)
It's a good thing you're the only person that matters in the world.
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Yes, as all rattlesnakes are vipers; pit vipers to be more exact. And, so are all of the cobras, except for the King Cobra, but then, that species isn't really a cobra.
Amazing guy (Score:3)
This guy is now my hero. Applied science. [1]Here he is getting bit twice [youtube.com]. His snake handling skill is actually pretty amazing (other than the intentionally getting bit thing).
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bG1YadH8Q2E
Re: (Score:3)
> Is Mr. Friede single?
In your life, you will never do anything as consequential has Mr Friede. Me neither. You could sleep with a thousand women, and still not measure up to him.
> Does he have life insurance?
Why not? He's now at less risk than anyone.
Re: (Score:3)
> You could sleep with a thousand women, and still not measure up to him.
Sleeping with a thousand women versus getting bitten by hundreds of venomous snakes... hmm... yeah I'll go with the first option.
Re: (Score:2)
That depends, venomous snakes never try to babytrap you or claim they'll never bite someone else.