BioTech Encyclopedia

Medicines from animal venoms: uses in research

Also: captopril, exenatide, exendin-4, ziconotide, Gila monster, cone snail, Bothrops jararaca

Several medicines trace back to animal venoms, including the blood pressure drug captopril (Brazilian pit viper), the diabetes drug exenatide (Gila monster) and the painkiller ziconotide (cone snail).

Known properties: Medicines from animal venoms

Only what the cited papers report.

Patents

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  • US4046889A: Azetidine-2-carboxylic acid derivatives. E. R. Squibb & Sons (inventors Miguel Angel Ondetti, David W. Cushman). Filed 1976, granted 1977. Status: Expired.
  • US5424286A: Exendin-3 and exendin-4 polypeptides, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising same. John Eng (as listed). Filed 1993, granted 1995. Status: Expired.
  • US5051403A: Method of treating ischemia-related neuronal damage. Neurex Corp (inventors George P. Miljanich, Robert S. Bitner and others). Filed 1989, granted 1991. Status: Expired.

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Timeline

  1. 1965 Pit viper venom boosts bradykinin
  2. 1977 Designing the first ACE inhibitors
  3. 1992 Exendin-4 from Gila monster venom
  4. 1998 Cone snail toxin as a painkiller
  5. 2006 Ziconotide trial in severe chronic pain

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Start here · reviewreview biomedical 1998

Cone snail toxin as a painkiller

Bowersox and Luther reviewed the therapeutic potential of omega-conotoxin MVIIA (SNX-111), an N-type calcium channel blocker from the venom of the cone snail Conus magus.

Built / tested: ziconotide

As reported in: Bowersox, Luther (1998). Pharmacotherapeutic potential of omega-conotoxin MVIIA (SNX-111), an N-type neuronal calcium channel blocker found in the venom of Conus magus. Toxicon. doi:10.1016/s0041-0101(98)00158-5

Abstract only

biomedical

lab biomedical 1965

Pit viper venom boosts bradykinin

Ferreira found that the venom of the Brazilian pit viper Bothrops jararaca contains a factor that strongly potentiates the action of bradykinin, and studied its chemical nature.

As reported in: FERREIRA (1965). A BRADYKININ‐POTENTIATING FACTOR (BPF) PRESENT IN THE VENOM OF BOTHROPS JARARACA. British Journal of Pharmacology and Chemotherapy. doi:10.1111/j.1476-5381.1965.tb02091.x

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commercial biomedical 1977

Designing the first ACE inhibitors

Ondetti, Rubin and Cushman used a model of the angiotensin-converting enzyme's active site to design a new class of orally active inhibitors that lowered blood pressure in rats, the work behind captopril.

Built / tested: captopril

As reported in: Ondetti, Rubin, Cushman (1977). Design of Specific Inhibitors of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme: New Class of Orally Active Antihypertensive Agents. Science. doi:10.1126/science.191908

Abstract only

commercial biomedical 1992

Exendin-4 from Gila monster venom

Eng and colleagues isolated exendin-4, a 39-amino-acid peptide, from the venom of the Gila monster (Heloderma suspectum).

Built / tested: exenatide

As reported in: Eng, Kleinman, Singh et al. (1992). Isolation and characterization of exendin-4, an exendin-3 analogue, from Heloderma suspectum venom. Further evidence for an exendin receptor on dispersed acini from guinea pig pancreas.. Journal of Biological Chemistry. doi:10.1016/s0021-9258(18)42531-8

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commercial biomedical 2006

Ziconotide trial in severe chronic pain

Rauck and colleagues found that slowly increasing doses of ziconotide, a non-opioid painkiller delivered into the spinal fluid, significantly improved severe chronic pain and was better tolerated than in earlier trials.

Built / tested: ziconotide

As reported in: Rauck, Wallace, Leong et al. (2006). A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of Intrathecal Ziconotide in Adults with Severe Chronic Pain. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management. doi:10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2005.10.003

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