ADDovenom: Novel Snakebite Therapy Platform of Unparalleled Efficacy, Safety and Affordability

Snakebites can be life-threatening when venom toxins are injected and enter the bloodstream. In areas where immediate access to specialised medical care is limited, bites by venomous snakes cause many thousands of deaths each year. The EU-funded ADDovenom project will use an innovative platform enabling generation of new snakebite treatment, based on a new disruptive protein-based nanoscaffold called ADDomer – a megadalton-sized, thermostable synthetic virus-like particle with 60 high-affinity binding sites to neutralise and eliminate venom toxins from the bloodstream. ADDovenom combines pioneering proteomics, transcriptomics and bioinformatics focusing on snake toxins provoking the most challenging syndromes like haemorrhage and paralysis. The aim is to develop first-in-class neutralising superbinders for snakebite therapy of unprecedented efficacy against the most prevalent Sub-Saharan snakes.