Researchers: mRNA Vaccines May One Day Treat Snake Bites

Preliminary laboratory tests indicate that the mRNA technology, which was first used in COVID-19 vaccines, may help prevent muscle damage caused by snake bites.

Researchers from the University of Reading in England explained that the same mRNA technology used in coronavirus vaccines could help prevent muscle damage in victims of snake bites and the accompanying effects that persist even after treatment.

Current antivenoms are effective in stopping the effects of venom in the bloodstream, but they struggle to reach the damaged muscle tissues around the bite site.

The researchers used lipid nanoparticles to encapsulate mRNA particles to produce protective antibodies against the muscle-destroying venom secreted by the pit viper, which lives in Central and South America.

The researchers noted in the journal "Trends in Biotechnology" that in laboratory experiments on human muscle cells, protective antibodies appeared within 12 to 24 hours after injecting lipid particles carrying the mRNA.

In mice, a single injection of mRNA protected muscle tissues from damage caused by venom when administered 48 hours before exposure to the venom, and the vaccine also maintained the integrity of muscle structure.

Researchers still need to develop a version of the treatment that can be administered after exposure to the venom, not before. However, they stated that their approach could work alongside traditional antivenoms.

The researchers added that antibodies delivered via mRNA can protect local tissues that antivenoms cannot reach, in addition to neutralizing toxins in the bloodstream.