Snakebites from the Russell’s viper are among the common snakebite cases in Taiwan. Its venom can cause abnormal blood clotting, uncontrollable bleeding, shock, and even death. The current treatment involves the use of antivenom serum, which may trigger allergic reactions and serum sickness as side effects. 

Director Li-Kuang Chen's team at Hualien Tzu Chi Medical Center has successfully developed a monoclonal antibody drug against Russell’s viper venom (RVV-X), which effectively prevents clot formation, offering new hope for patients bitten by Russell’s vipers. 

Monoclonal antibodies target snake venom proteins breakthrough in snakebite treatment bottleneck 

Director Li-Kuang Chen stated that after years of research, the team has finally succeeded in developing a monoclonal antibody drug against Russell’s viper venom. The drug specifically neutralizes the 95K snake venom protein, effectively preventing clot formation. Moreover, the drug has undergone genetic engineering to make it more similar to human proteins, reducing the risk of allergies and serum sickness. 

Advantages of monoclonal antibody drug against Russell’s viper venom 

• Specifically neutralizes specific proteins in Russell’s viper venom, effectively preventing clot formation. 

• Has lower side effects, reducing the risk of allergies and serum sickness. 
• No longer requires animal serum, avoiding zoonotic diseases. 
• Provides more effective treatment, bringing new hope for patients bitten by Russell’s vipers. 

Breakthrough Monoclonal Antibody: Effective Against Snake Venom and Blood Clots 

In addition to treating snakebites, this monoclonal antibody can also recognize clotting factors in the body, inhibiting clotting reactions caused by intrinsic pathway clotting factors, effectively suppressing blood clot formation. This characteristic can be applied to the development of anticoagulant and anti-thrombotic drugs, treating clotting and thrombotic diseases in high-risk groups such as the elderly and patients with hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes. Its high specificity and low bleeding side effects make it a safer and more effective treatment option. The team is currently actively conducting clinical trials, hoping to promote the application of this achievement as soon as possible. 

Director Li-Kuang Chen stated that the successful development of this drug brings new hope for patients bitten by Russell’s vipers. In the future, the team will continue to focus on developing other snake venom monoclonal antibody drugs to more effectively treat various snakebite cases and develop applications for treating diseases caused by abnormalities in blood clotting functions. 

Resource (Mandarin): 

鎖鏈蛇咬傷有解！花慈醫學中心新抗體藥物推進臨床