Key Insecticide Development Milestone Reached by IVCC and Syngenta

Date:04-27-2010

The Innovative Vector Control Consortium (IVCC) and Syngenta have announced that the latest field trials of the new Actellic® 300CS micro-encapsulated formulation demonstrate effective control of pyrethroid resistant mosquitoes on treated construction materials for more than eight months.

Developed by Syngenta, and tested in laboratory and field evaluations by Syngenta and IVCC partner laboratories in Switzerland and Africa, Actellic® 300CS has subsequently been submitted to the World Health Organization Pesticide Evaluation Scheme (WHOPES) for independent performance and safety assessment. A recommendation from the WHO at the end of the evaluation process is a key requirement for many aid funded malaria control programs.

"The field data for Actellic 300CS has surpassed our original expectations and shows real promise as a valuable tool to complement our existing products," said Mark Birchmore, Syngentas Global Brand Manager for Vector Control. "Working together with the IVCC enables us to leverage our expertise and capabilities to develop new products that meet the needs of current and future malaria control programs."

Actellic® 300CS is the result of applying advanced micro-encapsulation technology to the WHO recommended insecticide, pirimiphos-methyl, to develop a new long lasting product which targets malaria mosquitoes resistant to the pyrethroid class of insecticides. Current alternatives to pyrethroids typically only last for 3 months after application resulting in additional cost and complexity for malaria programs. The submission to WHOPES is a major step forward in making the product available to national malaria control programs.

Dr Tom McLean, IVCCs Chief Operating Officer, said: "The more effective control of mosquitoes is vital to the fight against malaria. Current tools can be highly effective but resistance threatens the effectiveness of existing products. We need innovative solutions to sustain the ground gained over malaria in recent years and to continue the push towards eventual eradication.

"This project amply demonstrates that IVCCs concept of covering initial risk to stimulate innovation is working and that industry has enthusiastically bought into the product development partnership model which we have pioneered for vector control."

Syngenta and the IVCC have been collaborating on projects to develop novel products for improved vector control since 2007. A second key project includes leveraging Syngentas vast compound collection and research expertise to specifically search for new insecticides for adult mosquito control. Early results are very encouraging with a number of separate chemical classes showing promise for further development.