The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a first-of-its-kind guidance document aimed at accelerating the development of novel therapeutics for snakebites, a neglected tropical disease that affects millions worldwide. The new Target Product Profiles (TPPs), published on February 27, 2026, are designed to guide researchers, regulators, and manufacturers in creating safer and more effective treatments for the 5.4 million people who are bitten by snakes each year.
The initiative addresses a critical global health crisis. Current statistics indicate that snakebites result in an estimated 83,000 to 138,000 deaths annually. For every fatality, many more victims suffer from permanent disabilities, including amputations and severe psychological trauma, placing a significant burden on families and health systems, particularly in rural Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
While conventional antivenoms remain the standard of care, their efficacy, safety, and availability can be inconsistent. The new WHO TPPs are intended to stimulate innovation by providing a clear blueprint for the development of next-generation treatments, such as small molecule drugs and engineered antibody biologics.
These novel therapeutics have the potential to be more stable, easier to administer, and capable of neutralizing a broader range of snake venoms than many existing products.
The newly published document is specifically tailored for products in early-stage drug development or clinical trials. It complements previous WHO guidance issued in 2023 and 2024 that focused on improving conventional antivenoms for the sub-Saharan African and South Asian markets. By harmonizing these standards, the WHO aims to foster greater global equity in the antivenom market and ensure that new products meet the clinical needs of the populations most at risk.
The 2026 guidance outlines two distinct TPPs for different clinical settings. The first is for hospital-based therapeutics, intended to treat bites from any venomous snake species. These new drugs could serve as an adjunct to, or potentially replace, treatment with a conventional antivenom within a controlled medical environment.
The second, and more innovative, TPP is for products designed for pre-hospital use. This guidance calls for therapeutics that can be administered in a community setting immediately after a bite. Such a product could either stabilize a patient long enough to reach a hospital for definitive care, or in some cases, treat the envenoming entirely, negating the need for a facility transfer altogether.
“These TPPs are intended to provide clear direction to researchers and manufacturers, ensuring that new treatments are designed and manufactured to match the clinical needs of populations at risk, and are both safe and effective,” the WHO stated. By setting these benchmarks, the organization hopes to catalyze a new wave of innovation that could dramatically reduce the death and disability caused by snakebite envenoming worldwide.
Source: WHO
