Cell Line Research

Snake venom is used for the production of antiserum against snakebites or for scientific research into their potency as a medicine. Because of this demand for snake venom, there are large snake farms where snakes are kept and milked for their venom. Animal welfare on these farms is questionable. That is why research is being launched into an alternative way of producing snake venom.

By making so-called ‘cell lines’ from reptiles, it would be possible to produce without the use of real animal venom. In addition, these cell lines could be used to research diseases in reptiles and to test drugs. Hopefully, the production of snake venom using cell lines will reduce the need for snake farms, improving animal welfare and stimulating research into applications of snake venom.

The great advantage of such research is that it uses techniques that cause very little or no inconvenience to animals.