Drugs from venom peptides

Medicines with APIs derived from animal venom toxins. APIs are either native purified toxins, synthetic version of native toxins, or peptide or small-molecule peptidomimetics of native toxins.
Ref: Takacs & Nathan (2014) Animal Venoms in Medicine. In: Ecyclopedia of Toxicology, 3rd ed, Vol 1. Elsevier, Academic Press, 52.

Generic name
   (BRAND NAME)

Species origin of venom toxin

Mechanism of action

Indication (Diseases)

Approved drugs and therapies in clinical use

captopril
  (CAPOTEN®)

Jararaca pit viper snake
  (Bothrops jararaca)

angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor

hypertension, cardiac failure

enalapril
 (VASOTEC®)

Jararaca pit viper snake
 (Bothrops jararaca)

angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor

hypertension, cardiac failure

exenatide
  (BYETTA®)

Gila monster lizard
 (Heloderma suspectum)

glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist

type 2 diabetes mellitus

exenatide
 (BYDUREON®)

Gila monster lizard
  (Heloderma suspectum)

glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (extended release)

type 2 diabetes mellitus

ziconotide
  (PRIALT®)

Magical cone marine snail
  (Conus magus)

Cav2.2 channel antagonist

management of severe chronic pain

bivalirudin
  (ANGIOMAX®)

European medicinal leech
  (Hirudo medicinalis)

reversible direct thrombin inhibitor

anticoagulant in percutaneous coronary intervention

lepirudin
 (REFLUDAN®)

 

European medicinal leech
  (Hirudo medicinalis)

binds irreversibly to thrombin

anticoagulation in heparin-associated thrombocytopenia; thromboembolic disease

desirudin
 (IPRIVASK®)

 

European medicinal leech
  (Hirudo medicinalis)

selective and near-irreversible inhibitor of thrombin

prevention of venous thrombotic events

tirofiban
 (AGGRASTAT®)

 

Saw-scaled viper snake
  (Echis carinatus)

antagonist of fibrinogen binding to the GPlIb/lIla receptor

acute coronary syndrome

eptifibatide
  (INTEGRILIN®)

Pigmy rattlesnake
  (Sistrurus miliarius)

prevents binding of fibrinogen, von Willebrand factor, and other adhesive ligands to GPIIb/IIIa

acute coronary syndrome; percutaneous coronary intervention

batroxobin
 (DEFIBRASE®)

Common lancehead snake
  (Bothrops atrox); or
Brazilian lancehead snake
  (Bothrops moojeni)

cleaves Aα-chain of fibrinogen

acute cerebral infarction; unspecific angina pectoris; sudden deafness

platelet gel
  (PLATELTEX-ACT®)

Common lancehead snake
  (Bothrops atrox)

cleaves Aα-chain of fibrinogen

gelification of blood for topical applications

fibrin sealant
 (VIVOSTAT®)

Brazilian lancehead snake
  (Bothrops moojeni)

cleaves Aα-chain of fibrinogen

autologous fibrin sealant in surgery

thrombin-like enzymes

Chinese moccasin snake
 (Deinagkistrodon acutus) or
Siberian pit viper snake
  (Gloydius halys) or
Ussuri mamushi viper
  (Gloydius ussuriensis)

fibrinogenase

antithrombotics; defibrinating agent for the treatment and prevention of thromboembolic disease

hemocoagulase
 (REPTILASE®)

Common lancehead snake
 (Bothrops atrox) or
Jararaca pit viper snake
  (Bothrops jararaca) or
Brazilian lancehead snake
  (Bothrops moojeni)

cleaves Aα-chain of fibrinogen; factor X  and/or prothrombin activation

prophylaxis and treatment of hemorrhage in surgery

medicinal leech therapy

European medicinal leech
  (Hirudo verbana) or other species

inhibits platelet aggregation and the coagulation cascade

skin grafts and reattachment surgery

Drugs in clinical trials (as of 2017)

Stichodactyla toxin ShK
   (dalazatide, ShK-186)
Kineta

Sun sea anemone
 (Stichodactyla helianthus)

Kv1.3 channel antagonist

psoriatic arthritis, multiple sclerosis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and other autoimmune diseases

chlorotoxin
  (BLZ-100, TM-601)
Blaze Bioscience

Deathstalker (Yellow scorpion)
  (Leiurus quinquestriatus)

binds to membrane type-1 matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), MMP-2 matrix MMP-2, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2, CLC-3 Cl- channel in glioma cells and other tumors of neuroectodermal origin

glioma and other central nervous system tumors

soricidin
   (SOR-C13)
Soricimed

Northern short-tailed shrew
  (Blarina brevicauda)

inhibitor of the Ca2+-selective transient receptor potential channel TRPV6

ovarian (and other) cancers

Terminated at clinical trial stage (since 2014)

Dendroaspis natriuretic peptide
   (cenderitide, CD-NP)
Capricor Therapeutics
--TERMINATED at Phase 2, 2017 Feb--

Eastern green mamba snake
 (Dendroaspis angusticeps)

inhibit platelet aggregation and the coagulation cascade

congestive cardiac failure

Desmodus rotundus salivary plasminogen activator (DSPA)
   (desmoteplase)
Lundbeck
--TERMINATED at Phase 3, 2014 Dec--

Common vampire bat
  (Desmodus rotundus)

plasminogen activator α1 with high fibrin specificity

acute ischemic stroke