# Harnessing the Cross-Neutralisation Potential of Existing Antivenoms for Mitigating the Outcomes of Snakebite in Sub-Saharan Africa

## TL;DR

This study shows that an existing antivenom can neutralize snake venoms from multiple species in sub-Saharan Africa, offering a potential solution to limited antivenom availability.

## Contribution

The study demonstrates the cross-neutralisation potential of PANAF-Premium antivenom against diverse snake venoms in sub-Saharan Africa.

## Key findings

- PANAF-Premium antivenom effectively neutralized venoms from 14 medically important snake species.
- The antivenom showed potential for treating snakebites from species lacking specific antivenom products.
- Preclinical tests in mice confirmed the antivenom's broad neutralisation capability.

## Abstract

Over 32,000 individuals succumb to snake envenoming in sub-Saharan Africa (sSA) annually. This results from several factors, including a lack of antivenom products capable of neutralising the venoms of diverse snake species in this region. Most manufacturers produce polyvalent antivenoms targeting 3 to 16 clinically important snake species in sSA. However, specific products are unavailable for many others, especially those with a restricted geographic distribution. While next-generation antivenoms, comprising a cocktail of broadly neutralising antibodies, may offer an effective solution to this problem, given the need for their clinical validation, recombinant antivenoms are far from being available to snakebite victims. One of the strategies that could immediately address this issue involves harnessing the cross-neutralisation potential of existing products. Therefore, we assessed the neutralisation potency of PANAF-Premium antivenom towards the venoms of 14 medically important snakes from 13 countries across sSA for which specific antivenom products are unavailable. Preclinical assays in a murine model of snake envenoming revealed that the venoms of most snake species under investigation were effectively neutralised by this antivenom. Thus, this finding highlights the potential use of PANAF-Premium antivenom in treating bites from diverse snakes across sSA and the utility of harnessing the cross-neutralisation potential of antivenoms.