IVCC receives $50 million to develop new insecticides

The Innovative Vector Control Consortium (IVCC) has received $50 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to continue its work to develop new insecticides for the improved control of mosquitoes and other insects which transmit malaria, dengue and other neglected tropical diseases.

IVCC was established in 2005 with an initial grant of $50.7 million over five years from the foundation. Since then, an unprecedented development pipeline of new, reformulated and repurposed insecticides has been established in partnership projects with leading global chemical companies. A suite of information systems and diagnostic tools for the more effective and efficient use of insecticides has also been developed, with these products now nearing the end of their development phase and being readied for rollout in the coming year.

The new five year grant will support new and ongoing projects to develop new Active Ingredients for insecticides and to complete the existing portfolio of insecticide formulation and repurposing projects.

Chief Executive Officer Professor Janet Hemingway explained: "The need for new insecticides has never been greater. Increased funding for control programmes is saving thousands of lives but malaria is still killing one child in Africa every 45 seconds. Resistance to insecticides is increasing at an alarming rate and we must find new alternatives even if we are to stay still in our battle against this and other vector borne diseases.

"This award allows us continue the pioneering work we're doing in partnership with the chemical industry to find and develop totally new classes of insecticide to help put an end to this needless loss of life. Our strategic aim is to provide three new Active Ingredients for use in public health insecticides by 2020."