Tim Friede's Blood May Pave Way for Universal Antivenom

Tim Friede, an American snake enthusiast, has spent nearly two decades deliberately exposing himself to escalating doses of venom from some of the world’s deadliest snakes, ultimately allowing hundreds of bites to build up his immunity. Inspired by ancient practices of self-immunization, Friede’s unique tolerance has drawn the attention of scientists aiming to develop a universal antivenom—currently, most antivenoms are species-specific and derived from non-human antibodies, which can cause serious side effects. Researchers extracted antibodies from Friede’s blood, creating a library of billions of candidates, and identified two promising antibodies that, when combined with a toxin inhibitor, protected mice against venom from multiple snake species. This approach shows potential to overcome challenges of current treatments, which are costly, limited in scope, and risky for patients. The World Health Organization estimates up to 138,000 annual deaths from snake bites, underlining the urgent need for broader and safer therapies. Early studies based on Friede’s blood offer hope for a more effective, universal treatment for snakebite victims worldwide.