Sally Stephens

Ophirex, Inc. is a Public Benefit Corporation developing varespladib, a first-of-its-kind oral rescue treatment for snakebite that can be administered immediately at the time of bite. Varespladib is a small-molecule inhibitor of snake venom secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2), a class of toxins present in the venom of more than 95% of venomous snake species, and is designed to rapidly neutralize sPLA2 activity and mitigate downstream toxic effects. Varespladib is being developed for use in humans and dogs. There are approximately 4-5 million snakebites in humans globally each year, resulting in approximately 125,000 deaths and 400,000 permanent disabilities. Seventy-five percent of snakebite-related deaths occur prior to hospital arrival. In the United States, an estimated 50,000 dogs are bitten by venomous snakes each year. An oral treatment that could be administered at the time of bite could change the approach to snakebite treatment worldwide. For more information, visit www.ophirex.com.