American Health & Fitness Magazine American Health Vitamins, Nutrition, Products, Information and Supplements

Snake venom farm in South Australia’s Barossa Valley global pharmaceutical supplier + research base

Snakes aren't usually considered a national asset, especially those dangerous enough to kill. But that could change if the push to utilise snake venom for a range of medical purposes proves as effective as experts predict..... but the venoms have already been used historically in Homeopathy, a naturopathic medicine system, in very diluted doses for over a century..... The process recently took an important step forward with an Australian company called Venomics on-licensing the rights to commercialise two product candidates, textilinin and HaempatchTM, both derived from Australian snake venom. Venomics is a spin-off from QRxPharma, established in 2002 to commercialise therapeutics research from the University of Queensland..... Textilinin has the potential to reduce blood loss in surgery by helping to maintain blood clots in place once they've formed. So far, it compares favourably with other so-called antifibrinolytic drugs, showing reduced blood loss and less potential for side effects. HaempatchTM clots blood effectively and is being developed as a topical clotting agent to stop blood flow from surgical or trauma wounds. It has shown promising results in pre-clinical testing, including the ability to form clots faster and with less blood loss than comparable drugs now in use. Both products are moving through testing, with clinical trials likely in two or three years. Venomics was created as part of a joint venture with Liaoning Nuokang Medicines, a leading ...