Groundbreaking Insecticide Projects Launched To Develop New Mosquito Control Products

Main Category: Tropical Diseases
Also Included In: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses;  MRSA / Drug Resistance
Article Date: 13 Sep 2007 - 4:00 PDT

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The Innovative Vector Control Consortium (IVCC) has embarked upon the next phase of its initial five year strategy with the launch of the first tranche of funded projects to develop new public health mosquito control products. The three projects, with partners Bayer CropScience and Syngenta, complement established IVCC projects developing improved mosquito control information systems.

The Syngenta project, in association with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), will seek to develop a new long lasting Indoor Residual Spray (IRS) formulation to help control malaria and other diseases transmitted by mosquito vectors.

The first Bayer CropScience project, in partnership with the Medical Research Council, South Africa, the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) and LSHTM, is also aimed at developing a long lasting IRS formulation for malaria and other vector borne diseases. The second Bayer project includes LSTM and the University of Liverpool as partners to modify current active insecticide ingredients to overcome pesticide resistance.

Commenting on the projects, IVCC Chief Executive Janet Hemingway said: "The launch of these projects is the next stage in the development of IVCC as an organisation playing a key role in the development of new public health insecticides and better vector control information systems.

"Several other IVCC-supported projects are already making good progress in the development of tools which will enable pesticides to be deployed more effectively and efficiently.

"We are now looking at funding a further tranche of projects, including the development of entirely new active ingredients for pesticides that will greatly improve vector control in disease endemic countries."

Prof. Dr. Friedrich Berschauer, Chairman of the Board of Management of Bayer CropScience AG said: "This partnership is a clear sign for us that our expertise and our long-term commitment to fight malaria by offering effective products in vector control has been acknowledged. We are very proud to work with the IVCC on finding a sustainable solution in the combat of one of the world's most devastating diseases."

Kris Sirchio, Global Head of Professional Products at Syngenta said: "We are delighted to be a lead partner with the IVCC and to have reached this important milestone. Syngenta is a world-leading innovator in insecticide technology and we are committed to delivering products that improve health and quality of life. Combining our capabilities with those of IVCC will help accelerate the development of new vector management programs which will benefit communities where the need is greatest."

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Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
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Vector borne diseases such as malaria are one of the major causes of death and economic burden throughout the developing world. In contrast to recent progress on drug and vaccine development for vector borne diseases, little attention has been given to vector control. The failure to develop new pesticides to counteract resistance has directly increased vector borne disease transmission; for example, some two thousand African children now die of malaria every day. The lack of accurate information and integrated decision support systems on which to base control applications of existing insecticides wastes money and increases the likelihood of resistance.

The IVCC's strategy is to identify opportunities for the development of new products, strategies and tools for improved vector control, and to enable and support those projects through developing partnerships that will provide the resources to bring them to fruition.

The IVCC is a consortium of five leading institutions in the field of vector control and information systems: the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine; the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine; the University of California at Davis, USA; Colorado State University, USA; and the Medical Research Council, South Africa. The mission statement of the IVCC is to improve health by enabling partnerships for the accelerated development and delivery of new products and tools that increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the control of insects which transmit disease. It was formed in October 2005 with a $50 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Source: Alan Hughes
Liverpol School of Tropical Medicine