Sumitomo Chemical and IVCC have been working for the past 5 years to develop a new active ingredient with a novel mode of action for use in the fight against the mosquitoes that transmit malaria and other debilitating and often fatal diseases.

Extensive laboratory based studies demonstrating the safety and efficacy of this chemistry against insecticide resistant mosquitoes have now been completed. On World Mosquito Day, that commemorates the 1897 discovery by Sir Ronald Ross that female mosquitoes transmit malaria, we are delighted to announce these studies have moved to the next phase.  This includes evaluating the performance of a range of prototype products in both laboratory and semi-field based settings.

Read the full press release in the attached file.

Mosquito nets have saved millions of lives since they have been widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa. And now a study in Zambia has shown that they also increase the local harvest.

The one year study of a farming community in Zambia demonstrated that a programme of subsidised net distribution yielded important economic benefits to rural communities due to preventative health investment.

When given access to free nets a typical harvest increased by 14.7%. 

Bednets — good for health and good for the harvest.

Health and Agricultural Productivity: Evidence from Zambia; Fink, G. and Masiye, F. Journal of Health Economics 42, 151-164, (2015).

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167629615000521?via%3Dihub

Is it time to recognise that African scientists are the key to African challenges? Listening to some of the excellent speakers at the European Congress on Ttropical medicine and Health has reminded me of just how much talent there is in Africa, and who is best situated to understand the urgency in the work we are engaged in and the very real local problems that are faced in making good ideas work in the field.

The latest member of the IVCC team, Dr Silas Majambere, our Senior Scientist, was speaking this morning about the progress that has been made in vector control. It was a clear and inspiring presentation that left me encouraged about how far we have come in driving back malaria and made me even more determined to see us finish the task and herald the end of this scourge of the African nations.

One of the questions he was asked related to the need for capacity building in Africa. His response was insightful and true. There is a new generation of African scientists, keen and talented, who are increasingly talking together about what they can do to make a difference in the countries where they grew up.

I remember when I visited Burkina Faso last year being impressed with the energy and knowledge of the local scientists we work with there. Some of the ideas we are currently exploring have come from their first-hand knowledge of the problems of malaria, and the life of the mosquitoes that transmit the disease. Visiting some of the local villages I was reminded of how little I know about the everyday lives of the people I am working for. Who best to understand the urgency and local realities than local people themselves.

As IVCC moves towards the final phase of developing new anti-malarial insecticides we are rightly proud of this monumental advance in the war against malaria. (Bear in mind these will be the first new public health insecticides in 30 years!) But now it is time to look towards the people who will benefit from these new tools and, not only harness their local understanding of how they should be applied, but also equipping this new generation of African scientists in finding their own solutions.

From what I have seen and heard I am greatly encouraged and hopeful that, given the tools they are more than able to finish the job.

Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) have a substantial effect on mosquitoes, even if the contact is brief, according to a fascinating new study of mosquito behaviour carried out at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.

The study set out to investigate how mosquitoes interact with bednets, now widely regarded as the most effective preventive element in malaria control.

Using infra red technology it tracked the flight of Anopheles Gambiae mosquitoes around bednets that were occupied by people. Four key behaviours were identified: swooping, visiting, bouncing and resting. Nearly 75% of the activity took place at the top of the bednet above the occupant’s torso.

Bednets that were treated with insecticides had a rapid effect on mosquitoes—contact of even less than a minute substantially reduced activity. After 30 minutes there was virtually no activity around the insecticide treated bednets. The researchers concluded that LLINs do not repel mosquitoes, but they function as a ‘highly efficient fast-acting baited insecticide trap.’

The paper ‘Infrared video tracking of Anopheles gambiae at insecticide-treated bed nets reveals rapid decisive impact after brief localised net contact’ is published in Scientific Reports. You can read it online here.

Parker, J.E.A. et al. Infrared video tracking of Anopheles gambiae at insecticide-treated bed nets reveals rapid decisive impact after brief localised net contact. Sci. Rep. 5, 13392; doi: 10.1038/srep13392 (2015)

Malaria research and development will be boosted by a new £1billion fund, the Ross Fund, backed by Britain’s aid budget and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) that was announced yesterday (November 22, 2015).

Announcing the fund Chancellor George Osborne said he had been committed to the fight against malaria since 1997. ‘A staggering one billion people are infected with malaria and 500,000 children die from the parasite each year,’ he said. ‘Our commitment means Britain can continue to play its part in the fight against malaria and working with the BMGF will help us in our joint ambition to see an end to this global disease in our lifetimes.’

The UK Department for International Development (DfID) has a long track record of effective overseas aid and has a particular reason to be proud through its support for the development of new anti-malarial insecticides. These are an essential element of the bednets and indoor residual spraying which, according to a recent report from Oxford University, has been responsibly for vector control was responsible for about 80% of the overall decline in infection prevalence across the continent since 2000 (read the full report) and (a summary of the report).

International Development Secretary Justine Greening said there was reason to be proud of Britain’s contribution to the fight against deadly diseases across the world, and especially malaria, which costs African economies about £8billion every year. ‘A healthy prosperous world is in Britain’s interest and the prevention of deadly diseases is a smart investment,’ she said. ‘That is why working with the BMGF through the Ross Fund, the UK will tackle resistance and develop drugs or insecticides to bring an end to this terrible disease.’

No new public health insecticide has been developed in over 30 years, and with all the current insecticides now compromised by insecticide resistance, the work IVCC is doing with the support of BMGF and DfID is essential to the malaria battle. Since IVCC began in 2000 we have made considerable progress, and expect to have several new anti-malarial insecticides in the field by 2020 for use in bednets and indoor residual spraying. Their use will make insecticide resistance much more difficult to develop in the future. It is a very tangible return on investment by both UK international aid and the BMGF that is already producing practical results that will change the world for the better.

IVCC, a UK based charity, is the only organisation in the world developing new public health insecticides. Our public-private partnership has worked well over the past 10 years, with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the UK, US, and Swiss governments, and from our industry partners.