Sumitomo Announces New Mode of Action for Adult Mosquito Control

Posted by Jackie Pucci|24 September 2014

Sumitomo Chemical announced the development and recent submission to the World Health Organization Pesticide Evaluation Scheme (WHOPES) of a new mode of action insecticide product for adult mosquito control for application in indoor residual spraying (IRS) programs.

Four classes of insecticide are currently recommended by the WHOPES for IRS programs. No new classes of insecticide for adult mosquito control have been introduced in the past 40 years. Since there is widespread and growing resistance to many of these compounds, especially in Sub Saharan Africa, malaria control programs have had very limited control options, the company said.

According to Sumitomo, extensive trials have confirmed the efficacy of this product against both resistant and susceptible malaria transmitting mosquitoes under both laboratory and field conditions. “As this product has a different mode of action chemistry from currently available interventions, it is also ideally suited for use in resistant management strategies and will therefore help preserve the effectiveness of existing vector control tools.”

It is anticipated that this product will help combat the growing threat of insecticide resistance and will complement the other vector control tools in the Sumitomo Chemical range, that include Olyset Net, Olyset Plus, SumiPro and SumiLarv.

“Sumitomo Chemical is once again delighted to be at the forefront of innovation in vector control by contributing to the fight against malaria and other vector borne diseases. We are confident that this new chemistry will have a significant impact in combating insecticide resistance – while at the same time improving people’s lives,” said Ray Nishimoto, managing executive officer, Health and Crop Sciences Sector, Sumitomo.