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REVIEW ARTICLE
Advancements in antivenom therapy: Historical perspectives, current challenges, and ongoing clinical trials
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1 Diabetes Research Institute, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida,
United States of America
IMO, 025240026 https://doi.org/10.36922/IMO025240026
Received: 9 June 2025 | Revised: 14 June 2025 | Accepted: 30 June 2025 | Published online: 13 August 2025
© 2025 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution -Noncommercial 4.0 International License (CC-by the license) ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ )
Abstract
Snakebite envenomation remains a severe global health burden, particularly in impoverished, rural, and tropical regions where healthcare resources are sparse. Despite over 125 years of progress in antivenom therapy, numerous obstacles persist related to efficacy, specificity, cost, and availability. Conventional antivenoms, although life-saving, are associated with significant drawbacks, including species specificity and adverse immunologic reactions. This review explores the historical milestones in antivenom development, discusses present therapeutic limitations, highlights novel innovations through biotechnological approaches, and presents a list of ongoing clinical trials that aim to revolutionize the field. It emphasizes the pressing need for improved therapeutics and the critical role of translational research in mitigating the global impact of snakebite envenomation.
Keywords
Snakebite envenomation
Antivenom therapy
Recombinant antivenom
Monoclonal antibodies
Venom immunology
Neglected tropical diseases
Clinical trials
Toxicology
Funding
None.
Conflict of interest
The author declares no conflicts of interest.
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