‘Unparalleled’ snake antivenom made from man bitten 200 times

The blood of a US man who deliberately injected himself with snake venom for nearly two decades has led to an “unparalleled” antivenom, say scientists.

Antibodies found in Tim Friede’s blood have been shown to protect against fatal doses from a wide range of species in animal tests.

Current therapies have to match the specific species of venomous snake anyone has been bitten by.

But Mr Friede’s 18-year mission could be a significant step in finding a universal antivenom against all snakebites – which kill up to 14,000 people a year and leave three times as many needing amputations or facing permanent disability.

In total, Mr Friede has endured more than 200 bites and more than 700 injections of venom he prepared from some of the world’s deadliest snakes,…