# Development of world's first fully human broad spectrum anti-snake venom

> **NIH NIH R43** · DISTRIBUTED BIO, LLC · 2020 · $137,233

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
In this Phase I SBIR grant, Distributed Bio proposes to develop the next generation of safer and more effective
antivenom biotherapeutics by isolating and characterizing broadly neutralizing fully human antivenom antibodies
for treating snakebite envenoming.
In 2018, snakebite envenoming continues to be ranked on the World Health Organization’s list of neglected
tropical diseases, killing between 81,000- 138,000 people and leaving another 150,000 permanently disabled
Over 4,000 snakebite envenoming cases were reported in 2016 to United States Poison Control Centers, where
59.3% resulted in moderate to major outcomes and 3 deaths. Besides native venomous species
including copperheads, coral snakes, cottonmouths and rattlesnakes, exotic snake species also pose a risk, with
50 exotic venomous snake envenoming cases reported in 2016.
For over a century, snakebite envenoming treatment has been immunotherapy with animal-derived antivenom
preparations containing either immunoglobulin G (IgG) or derivative antigen-binding fragments (Fabs) from a
single venom. While effective, heterologous antivenom serotherapies present several challenges; depending on
the antivenom, up to 59% of patients experience early-onset adverse reactions to animal plasma derived
antivenoms including early adverse anaphylactic reactions. Polyclonal Fab based formulations can lead to
treatments with shortened half-lives and inconsistent batch quality in comparison to monoclonal IgGs.
Antivenom developed for a single species requires the correct identification of the specific snake that bit the
victim, which can be almost impossible for bite victims and healthcare workers not well-versed in snake
phenotypes. Although a global public health problem, major pharmaceutical companies do not invest in improved
envenoming treatments due to the venom toxin heterogeneity across species.
This Aims of this project are designed to isolate and characterize broadly neutralizing fully human antivenom
antibodies to treat snakebite envenoming. Monoclonal fully human-derived IgG will greatly reduce the potential
for adverse effects pervasive in animal-derived antivenom, as it creates molecules with low immunogenicity that
could relatively be easily optimized to have better safety profiles and potentially higher efficacy. In addition,
antibodies will be thermostabilized antibodies to have more lenient storage requirements, longer-shelf life,
greatly expanding the types of health centers that can store and access it. Distributed Bio will identify and
characterize a pool of cross-reactive, high affinity antibody candidates and characterize whole venom pool
epitopes. The efficacy of the antivenom antibodies will be studied in mice by performing in vivo challenge studies.
The Distributed Bio approach to designing and developing a universal antivenom vaccine has far-reaching
potential in medical practice.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9995415
- **Project number:** 5R43AI147898-02
- **Recipient organization:** DISTRIBUTED BIO, LLC
- **Principal Investigator:** Jacob Glanville
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $137,233
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-08-14 → 2021-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9995415

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9995415, Development of world's first fully human broad spectrum anti-snake venom (5R43AI147898-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9995415. Licensed CC0.

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