Evolutionary Venomics Lab | Kartik Sunagar

Repurposing drugs for snakebite

We demonstrate the effectiveness of small molecule inhibitors in treating bites from Russell’s viper, responsible for nearly half of India’s snakebite cases.

We discovered that two repurposed drugs, Varespladib and Marimastat, which previously entered phase III clinical trials for other uses, can prevent the lethal effects of Russell’s vipers from across India.

Our findings suggest these drugs could be an effective alternative treatment for snakebites, reducing the impact of Russell’s viper across the Indian subcontinent.

In the Evolutionary Venomics Lab at the Centre for Ecological Sciences (CES), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, we study venomous animals and their venoms as model systems to explore fundamental questions in evolutionary biology and genetics. Utilising advanced technologies across multiple disciplines, we delve into the fascinating evolutionary histories of venomous animals and their venoms.

We have placed a particular emphasis on innovating novel solutions for snakebites that affect hundreds of thousands of victims globally. Our goal is to develop an advanced antivenom that improves the safety, specificity, and affordability of treatment. The composition and, thus, the pathogenic potential of venoms can vary considerably across the geographic distribution of snakes, with different populations of the same species exhibiting distinct venom profiles. This variation can significantly reduce antivenom efficiency. Therefore, our lab aims to unravel intra- and interspecific venom variability in medically significant Indian snakes and use this information for the molecular design of effective snakebite therapy.