Researchers find heparin, a common blood thinner, can repurpose as a low-cost cobra venom antidote treating necrosis.
Researchers at the University of Sydney and Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine have discovered a common blood thinner, heparin, can be repurposed as an inexpensive antidote for cobra venom. Cobra bites kill thousands of people each year and cause necrosis, leading to amputation. Current antivenom treatment is expensive and does not effectively treat necrosis. The research team used CRISPR gene-editing technology to identify ways to block cobra venom and found that heparin and related drugs can stop necrosis caused by cobra bites.
July 17, 2024
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