Man who injected snake venom for 18 years helps create breakthrough antivenom

New drug could change treatment access in high-risk regions.

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A Wisconsin man who spent nearly two decades injecting himself with snake venom has contributed to what scientists are calling the most broadly effective antivenom developed to date.

Tim Friede, who endured over 200 bites and more than 700 venom injections, provided blood samples rich in rare antibodies.

These were used by a US research team to develop a new treatment showing unprecedented protection against the venom of 19 deadly snake species.

The study, published in the journal Cell, highlights a new approach that could eventually replace the century-old method of producing antivenoms using horse blood.

The experimental therapy has so far only been tested in mice, but researchers say it showed full protection in 13 snake species and partial protection in the remaining six.

"Tim's antibodies are really quite extraordinary," said Professor Peter Kwong from Columbia University, one of the study’s co-authors. "He taught his immune system to get this very, very broad recognition."

The new antivenom focuses on elapid snakes—such as cobras, mambas, and taipans—which use neurotoxins that can paralyse and kill. By combining three broadly neutralising antibodies, two of which were derived from Friede’s blood, the researchers produced a therapeutic cocktail they hope will eventually be effective in humans.

The team behind the breakthrough comes from Centivax, a biotech startup led by Dr Jacob Glanville. He said Friede’s unique immune response made him an ideal candidate to discover new broadly acting antibodies.

"Immediately I thought, if anybody has developed these antibodies, it’s Tim," Dr Glanville said.

Experts unaffiliated with the research have welcomed the findings but urged caution. They note the treatment has not yet been tested on humans or on venom from vipers, which cause most of the 60,000 annual snakebite deaths in countries like India.

"The breadth of protection reported is certainly novel," said Professor Nick Casewell of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. "But there’s still much work to do before this could be used clinically."

The research team is now conducting further tests on dogs in Australia and plans to expand trials to cover vipers and other toxin classes. If successful, a universal or dual-treatment antivenom could eventually replace regional therapies and save tens of thousands of lives globally.

Friede, a former truck mechanic, began his self-experimentation in the early 2000s to build immunity while handling venomous pets. Despite nearly dying in the process, he continued out of a desire to help future victims.

“It became a lifestyle,” he said. “I kept pushing for the people who are 8,000 miles away from me who die from snakebite.”

Dr Glanville stressed that no one should repeat Friede’s methods, calling the self-injections dangerous and unnecessary with today’s technology.

Still, the team believes this could be a major turning point in snakebite treatment. "We’re moving towards a new generation of antivenoms," said Professor Kwong. "This could be the start of something transformative."