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Innovative Medicines & Omics

REVIEW ARTICLE
Advancements in antivenom therapy: Historical

perspectives, current challenges, and ongoing
clinical trials

Luis A. Roque*

Diabetes Research Institute, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida,
United States of America

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.

*Corresponding author:
Luis A. Roque Keywords: Snakebite envenomation; Antivenom therapy; Recombinant antivenom;
(lroque@med.miami.edu) Monoclonal antibodies; Venom immunology; Neglected tropical diseases; Clinical trials;
Citation: Roque LA. Advancements Toxicology
in antivenom therapy: Historical
perspectives, current challenges,
and ongoing clinical trials. Innov
Med Omics. 2025;2(3):13-20.
doi: 10.36922/IMO025240026 1. Introduction
Received: June 9, 2025 Snakebite envenomation remains one of the most underrecognized and underfunded
Revised: June 14, 2025 public health crises in the modern era, despite its classification as a high-priority neglected
tropical disease by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2017. This categorization
1
Accepted: June 30, 2025 underscores the urgent need for expanded research, therapeutic innovation, and
Published online: August 13, 2025 coordinated policy interventions. Globally, it is estimated that more than 5.4 million
2
Copyright: © 2025 Author(s). snakebites occur each year, resulting in up to 2.7 million cases of envenomation. Of
This is an Open Access article these, approximately 81,000 to 138,000 result in death, while an additional 400,000
distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution individuals experience permanent disabilities, such as blindness, limb amputations, or
2
License, permitting distribution, disfigurement. The actual burden is likely even higher, as many cases go unreported due
and reproduction in any medium, to inadequate surveillance systems and the prevalence of traditional or informal medical
provided the original work is
properly cited. care in affected regions.
Publisher’s Note: AccScience The epidemiology of snakebite envenomation reveals a pronounced geographical
Publishing remains neutral with and socioeconomic disparity. The majority of envenomation cases occur in sub-
regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional Saharan Africa, South Asia (particularly India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka), Southeast
affiliations. Asia, and Latin America—regions characterized by a high density of venomous snake

Volume 2 Issue 3 (2025) 13 doi: 10.36922/IMO025240026