Researchers from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) and the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) Wellcome Trust research programme in Kilifi have identified a drug, unithiol, that can neutralise snake bite venom through an oral dose.
According to a statement from the researchers, the drug's Phase 1 clinical trial showed that it was safe, well-tolerated, and simple to use in treating envenoming from different kinds of venomous snakes.
Snake envenoming, the process of a venomous snake injecting venom into a person or animal, which can lead to a range of potentially life-threatening conditions, is a significant public health concern, especially in rural settings in Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and Asia.
Approximately 5 million snake bites, 1.8 million snake envenomings, and 90,000 deaths occur due to snake bites each year globally.
