In Kenya, scientists are extracting venom from live snakes for what could become East Africa's first antivenom specifically designed around the region's species.
If launched as planned, the treatment from the Kenya Institute of Primate Research — or KIPRE — would mark a major shift in how many snakebites are managed.
Here's what to know
During a visit to KIPRE, Shaukat Abdulrazak of Kenya's State Department for Science, Research, and Innovation reviewed the innovative antivenom program, according to The Standard.
Abdulrazak was taken through the methods KIPRE researchers are using to collect venom and prepare it for a locally targeted solution.
"The Primate Institute has state-of-the-art research laboratories, highly skilled scientists safely extracting venom from live snakes," Abdulrazak said, per The Standard.
According to Peter Mwethera, CEO of KIPRE, the snakebite project exists within a wider biomedical research portfolio that also covers malaria, cancer work, and a One Health model connecting human, animal, and environmental health.
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Where can I learn more?
KIPRE's snakebite research is part of a global push to reduce deaths from venomous bites. These stories cover a fast-acting treatment under study, the growing bite risk as snakes move into new areas, and other findings tied to venom science:
• Scientists testing a promising speedy treatment say it could blunt deadly venomous snakebites.
• Researchers warn a rising snakebite threat could follow as climate change shifts venomous snakes' ranges.
• In India, a looming public health crisis is building as warming drives more bites.
• Scientists say mass spread of venomous snakes could intensify bite risks in warming regions.
• On Uzbekistan's steppe, scientists say deadly venom may hold clues for cancer treatment.
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