Adult Control II
Adult Control II
Malaria remains a major health and social challenge. Half of the global population is at risk of malaria, with more than 240 million cases worldwide. 95% of the cases in Africa, striking hardest among pregnant women and children in Sub-Saharan Africa. Children under five account for about 80% of all malaria deaths globally. The World Health Organization recommends vector control as the main approach to prevent and reduce malaria transmission. The Center for Disease Control recommends insecticide-treated nets, indoor spraying and insect repellent use for people traveling to or living in malaria-endemic countries. Further, pregnant women and babies are at particular risk, there is no repellent safe for daily use with long-lasting efficacy requiring minimal reapplication and pleasant to use. An unmet need identified, IR3535® was found to be a long-lasting DEET-free alternative repellent. Since 2015 Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany embarked on a program “As One Against Malaria,” an integrated approach to fight malaria with the aim of developing and providing new drugs to prevent and treat infection, block malaria transmission, promote research initiatives to develop innovative technologies and strengthen the resilience of health systems. The program includes collaboration with partners, all with the common goal to fight malaria. The key advantage of IR3535®is its safety profile, being biodegradable, safe for the environment. For this reason, a collaboration with a US-based company, LivFul and the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research in Ghana was initiated to conduct efficacy studies of a promising insect repellent delivery technology intended for everyday use. Arm-in-cage studies show the potential for this technology to provide an average protection time of 14 h, repelling mosquitos with a very light skin-feel and little or no scent. The formulation is suitable for children older than 2 months and pregnant women. Repellent field testing is scheduled to confirm efficacy.