AFFIX Labs’ Repeltec is undergoing WHO and Somalian Malaria programme trials.
The Finnish start-up technology AFFIX Labs has recently announced that its newly developed coating Repeltec might help to fight mosquito carried diseases like Malaria, Dengue and Chikungunya. The coating is currently undergoing World Health Organization approved field trials together with the Somalian Malaria programme.
To prevent insect borne diseases from spreading, non-profit organisations and governments have considered employing residual indoor sprays leaving a thin layer of pesticides on walls inside residential spaces. However, these kinds of sprays are classified as hazardous. Repeltec, on the other hand, includes a biodegradable active ingredient that is commonly found in skin lotions and has the lowest toxicity ratings as classified by WHO.
The coating developed by AFFIX Labs creates a clear layer which adheres to the surface and employs a controlled release of a spatial repellent that drives insects away. In addition, Repeltec temporarily interferes with the ability of insects to detect and bite people, breaking the infection cycle. Thanks to the biodegradable active ingredient, the coating poses a minimum long-term risk to the local environment and allows to drive insects away without killing them, so it avoids to adversely affect ecosystems including bee colonies.
After some initial laboratory studies carried out in Germany, France and South Africa, Repeltec is now currently undergoing field trials executed by WHO and the Somalian government’s Malaria Program to test the efficacy of the coating in real world settings. AFFIX Labs has treated twenty locations that are being actively monitored for mosquito count, species detected and feeding behaviour.
"We are seeing promising results and receiving great community feedback. Where people have been reluctant to allow pesticides to be sprayed in their houses, a friendlier solution like Repeltec is the future of a sustainable fight against Malaria,” stated Dr.Abdikarim Husein Hassan, the head of the Somalian Malaria program in Puntland.
“We started the company with the aim to replace toxic products with future proof solutions. These field trials are the result of years of hard work and we are grateful for the support given by the Somalian ministry of health and the Somalian Malaria program,” commented the CEO of AFFIX Labs, Tom Sam.