Venom milking: State SRI India’s 2nd authorized hub

Gandhinagar: The Snake Research Institute (SRI) in Dharampur recently e-auctioned snake venom to licensed antivenom manufacturers, a move that not just builds Gujarat's contribution to anti-venom supply but also underscores the state's readiness to manufacture anti-venom from venoms extracted from indigenous snake species, which is key to treat envenomation, a time-critical medical emergency. The state govt on Sunday said that the Dharampur facility is now only the second in India authorized to extract venom for antivenom production, after the Irula Snake Catchers Industrial Cooperative Society Ltd in Tamil Nadu.
A major clinical challenge is that venom composition can vary across regions, influencing how well an antivenom works, said D C Patel, vice-president, SRI, adding, "Antivenom made from venom from distant regions often proves less effective. We hope that antivenom made from venom of snakes caught in Gujarat will prove more effective in treating snakebites," Patel said.Region-matched venom sourcing can help manufacturers produce antivenoms with antibody profiles better aligned to local toxin variantsThe Dharampur SIR currently houses about 460 venomous snakes collected from across the state. Their care and venom extraction process as in accordance with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, the statement said. The e-auction was held recently for lyophilised (powdered) venom from four major venomous snakes found in Gujarat: the Indian Cobra, common krait, Russell's viper, and the saw-scaled viper. A senior official said that the venom fetched more than the base price set because of its high quality. Cobra venom fetched Rs 44,000 a gram against the base price of Rs 40,000; viper's venom fetched Rs 56,000 a gram against the Rs 50,000 base price, an official statement said. The SRI operates under the Gujarat Forestry Research Foundation (GFRF) in Gandhinagar, an autonomous institution under the Forest and Environment Department of the Gujarat govt.