The IVCC Annual Report 2021-2022 has been published.

The report showcases IVCC’s work to facilitate innovative approaches to preventing vector-borne diseases and tackle the growing threat of insecticide resistance. With activities across the globe and spanning research and development and market access, we are accelerating the process from innovation to impact.

The report is a reminder of the importance of collaborative working and the progress laid out in it is testament, too, to the commitment of our partners from industry, academia, the public sector and advocacy. We are grateful for the support of all our funders, who make life-saving vector control possible.

“We owe it to those who have to suffer the misery of malaria, year in year out, to break this cycle and defeat malaria for good. IVCC is poised to sustain and enhance its core role in that global and noble mission.”

The Right Honourable Sir Stephen O’Brien KBE, Chair, Board of Trustees, IVCC.

For more information or to request a physical copy please provide your full name and postal address to Laura Roberts on laura.roberts@ivcc.com.

A robust research and development pipeline is accelerating progress toward global targets, says the World Health Organisation (WHO) in the newly released 2022 World Malaria Report.

Long-lasting bed nets with new insecticide combinations, and other vector control innovations including targeted sugar baits that attract mosquitoes, spatial repellents and genetic engineered mosquitoes are among the next generation of malaria control tools.

“Insecticide treated bednets (ITNs) are the primary vector control tool used in most malaria-endemic countries and, in 2020, countries distributed more ITNs than in any year on record.”

Data in this year’s report shows that by 2021, 68% of households in sub-Saharan Africa had at least one ITN, an increase of about 5% compared with 2000. Of those, 9% were dual active ingredient (AI) Long-lasting insecticide nets.

Globally, despite the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, malaria cases and deaths remained stable in 2021. In the past year, countries around the world held the line against further setbacks to malaria prevention, testing and treatment. Between 2020 and 2021 malaria cases rose, but at a slower rate than between 2019 to 2020.

However, despite the successes of 2021, a convergence of threats, including humanitarian crisis, health system challenges and a decline in effectiveness of core disease-cutting tools, continue to undermine the efforts to eradicate malaria.

Innovations in vector control suggest a promising pipeline of products to support preserving vector susceptibility, the foundation of malaria control.

According to analysis, supported by IVCC, included in the 2022 report there are currently 28 vector control products in the research and development (R&D) pipeline. IVCC’s discovery programme has supported the development and deployment of novel and repurposed insecticides with different modes of action, for use in ITNs and Indoor Residual Sprays (IRS), to support best practice insecticide resistance management (IRM).

However, despite an increase in total funding for malaria in 2021, there is a deficit of US$7.3 billion to stay on track to defeat malaria. Investment in R&D continues to play a crucial role in successes against malaria.

“New tools – and the funding to deploy these – are urgently needed to help us defeat malaria,” says Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.

The World Malaria Report, published annually, provides a comprehensive update on global and regional malaria data and trends. The report tracks investments in malaria programmes and research as well as progress across all intervention areas: prevention, diagnosis, treatment and surveillance. It also includes dedicated chapters on malaria elimination and on key threats in the fight against malaria. The report is based on information received from national malaria control programmes and other partners in endemic countries.

Find out more in this year’s World Malaria Report.

IVCC is delighted to take part in the upcoming Annual Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygene (ASTMH) in Seattle, USA from 30^th October to 3^rd November.

Led by IVCC, the New Nets Project (NNP) is piloting new tools to strengthen the insecticide-treated net (ITN) market. At ASTMH, NNP Partners** will present results from two randomized control trials (Benin and Tanzania) and evidence from pilot evaluations in Burkina Faso, Mozambique, Rwanda and Tanzania. Presentations will touch on market access, use, barriers to use, entomological findings, bio-efficacy, and durability studies of the dual insecticide nets. There are poster presentations daily, as well as an oral presentation.

Symposium: October 31, 2022, 3:00 PM – 4:45 AM PT Convention Center Room 605/610 (6th Floor) New Dual-AI Nets for Malaria Control in Settings of Vector Resistance: A Review of the Current Evidence

We recommend the full symposia and highlight the talk by IVCC’s own Ioana Ursu at 4:20PM on Key issues around the market dynamics and demand for dual-AI nets as malaria control programs scale up use.

Posters:

LB-5289: Estimating the malaria prevention impact of new nets: epidemiological results from piloted dual active ingredient insecticide-treated net distribution in Nigeria (presented by National Malaria Elimination Programme, Federal Ministry of Health Nigeria, November 1, Convention Centre – Hall 4A)

LB-5291: Three-years (2019-2021) longitudinal monitoring of malaria transmission intensity in three health districts of Burkina Faso with standard, PBO, and dual active ingredient ITN deployment (presented by Centre National de Recherche et de Formation sur le Paludisme, November 1, Convention Centre – Hall 4A).

LB-5292: Evaluating new dual active ingredient insecticide-treated nets in Nigeria: use, access, and barriers (presented by Ibolda Health International, November 1, Convention Centre – Hall 4A).

LB-5293: Malaria prevention: evaluation of the reasons for non-use of dual active ingredient insecticide-treated mosquito nets in three health districts: Banfora, Gaoua and Orodara in Burkina Faso (presented by Centre National de Recherche et de Formation sur le Paludisme, November 1, Convention Centre – Hall 4A).

LB-5294: Determinants of dual active ingredient and PBO insecticide-treated net utilization in Mozambique, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso (presented by PATH, November 1, Convention Centre – Hall 4A)

LB-5296: Effects of dual active ingredient insecticide-treated bed nets on malaria prevalence in children aged 6-59 months: Preliminary results of a pilot study in Burkina Faso (presented by Centre National de Recherche et de Formation sur le Paludisme, November 1, Convention Centre – Hall 4A).

LB-5297: New, dual-active ingredient insecticide-treated nets in Rwanda: access, use and barriers (presented by University of Rwanda, November 1, Convention Centre – Hall 4A).

LB-5420: Observational analysis to evaluate the impact of new nets in Rwanda: Epidemiological results from piloted new net distributions (presented by PATH, November 2, Convention Centre – Hall 4A).

LB-5422: Incremental cost of the switch from standard insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) to next generation ITNs: an economic evaluation (presented by Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, (presented by PATH, November 2, Convention Centre – Hall 4A).

Oral Presentation:

LB-5495: Preliminary results of the New Nets Project pilot evaluations in Mozambique: Epidemiological trends through twelve months (presented by PATH, November 2, Convention Centre – Room 6AB, 6^th Floor).

Find out more about 71^st ASTMH annual meeting online, including the full conference programme, details about keynote speakers, the event’s sponsors and exhibitors.

*all times shown are given in Pacific Daylight Time, the local time zone (Seattle is GMT-7h until Sunday 30^th October and GMT -8hrs thereafter).

**NNP implementation partners are: The Alliance for Malaria Prevention, Imperial College London, LSTM, LSTMH, PATH, PSI and Tulane University. NNP Industry partners are: BASF and DCT (Disease Control Technologies). NNP Funding partners are: Unitaid and The Global Fund. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, along with USAID are supporting partners.

IVCC’s External Scientific Advisory Committee (ESAC) is looking for experts in the development and manufacturing of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs).

The ESAC provides expert specialist technical assessments of IVCC’s portfolio of products, including project selection, transition, and termination. They provide advice to the IVCC management team during periodic reviews of the projects. Membership of the ESAC is through nomination of candidates with the required expertise.

This call is open to those with extensive experience in the development (product and process development) and the manufacturing of ITNs. Candidates with suitable qualifications/training in textile engineering or another suitable related field, are especially desirable.

We seek to attract and recruit people who reflect the diversity across our communities, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, nationality, faith or belief, social background, age, and disability. Candidates are selected based on skills, qualifications, and experience.

For full details about this opportunity and to apply, follow the link here.

IVCC’s External Scientific Advisory Committee (ESAC) is looking for experts in entomology with an Indo-Pacific Focus

This call is open to those with, among other requirements:

• a PhD in biology/medical entomology, public health, or another related field
• suitable experience in the design and monitoring of laboratory and field trials on vector control products (LLINs, IRS, Spatial Emanators, ATSBs, etc) according to WHO guidelines, with particular experience in the Pacific (e.g. Papua New Guinea) and South-East Asia

The ESAC provides expert specialist technical assessments of IVCC’s portfolio of products, including project selection, transition, and termination. They provide advice to the IVCC management team during periodic reviews of the projects. Membership of the ESAC is through nomination of candidates with the required expertise.

For full details about this opportunity and how to apply, please download the supporting document.

Applications close on Tuesday 26^th March.