Snake bite pill in development

[GJM]

https://www.latimes.com/environment/...us-snake-bites

[Clusterfrack]

https://www.latimes.com/environment/...us-snake-bites

That's awesome.

[pangloss]

That's fantastic. I really hope it works! I briefly considered trying to make human monoclonal antibodies against snake venom, but as mentioned in the article, venom is a nasty mixture of a bunch of proteins that varies from species to species. The best antibody targets weren't immediately obvious. Other groups are working on human antibody therapies, but I don't think they are as far along as that pill. It's definitely a considerable problem globally.

[Clusterfrack]

That's fantastic. I really hope it works! I briefly considered trying to make human monoclonal antibodies against snake venom, but as mentioned in the article, venom is a nasty mixture of a bunch of proteins that varies from species to species. The best antibody targets weren't immediately obvious. Other groups are working on human antibody therapies, but I don't think they are as far along as that pill. It's definitely a considerable problem globally.

Your MCA solution could theoretically work against neurotoxins (e.g. cobra venom), and protease venoms as well (e.g. viper venom). If I understand it, the new pill is an antiparalytic, to counteract the muscle paralysis following neurotoxin invenomation.

Oddly, I knew Joe Slowinski (biologist who died after snakebite, mentioned in the article).

[Totem Polar]

@Clusterfrack, I remember you mentioning that. Horrifying story to read.

[mtnbkr]

This is awesome. I'm definitely going to consider buying some if it ever gets to the market. Twice this year I or my buddy nearly stepped on rattlesnakes while hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains miles from any medical support. In both cases the snakes were just off the trail in ankle-high weeds and virtually invisible. Prior to this year, I hadn't seen a rattlesnake in the wild for nearly 20 years.

Chris

[RoyGBiv]

With that goal in mind, Lewin self-volunteered to become a test subject.
In a 2013 experiment conducted with a team of anesthesiologists in a research laboratory at UC San Francisco, Lewin allowed himself to be paralyzed with derivative of curare, a chemical typically administered intravenously as a paralyzing agent for surgical procedures.

Moments later, he said, “I couldn’t talk, felt dizzy and had trouble breathing.”
The team then administered the nasal spray, and within 20 minutes Lewin had recovered. The results of the experiment were published online in the medical journal Clinical Case Reports.
“It was terrifying, and I’d never do that again,” Lewin said. “But the experiment proved that paralysis could be reversed without intravenous medication.”

Heroic. Reckless. Inspirational. Ballsy.

Jeez.

Talk about putting your money where your mouth is.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Not just in the boonies. In 2014, a TX MD was seriously bit jogging right by the med school complex. Just some high grass in an area adjacent to the trail. This is a highly urbanized area. In our nice suburban area, we had a baby rattler and a coral snake that we know of. The former was killed with a shovel and the latter by a mob of neighbors chasing it across the street. We lived aways from a nice creek/park trail and lots of critters would visit at time.

Interesting story, thanks.

Side issue - when I was doing my post-doc we had vials of very virulent neurotoxins with easy access. However, in those days, we didn't worry so much about nuts.

[Coyotesfan97]

We have a company in Phoenix called Rattlesnake Solutions that remove rattlers and other snakes then relocate them in the desert. They’re on FB and they stay very busy. Calls in urbanized areas and calls on the fringes of the desert. It is interesting watching the relocations. They like pack rat nests and boulders.

Corals are venomous but they’re like Gila Monsters. If you get bitten by one you were probably FAFO.

[Joe in PNG]

I know- Australia and all that, but I did once come very close to a brown snake at a park in the urban middle of Brisbane.