The "common" antivenom fails because it targets only the "big four" snakes, ignoring the many regional species whose venoms differ. My team sequences venom proteins from local snakes across India to design specific monoclonal antibodies. This precision will replace the old broad-spectrum approach, which is like using a city map to navigate a village footpath. In my lab, we have vials from a Russell’s viper in Tamil Nadu whose toxins don't match the antivenom’s targets—a small proof of a vast problem.
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