6BRINGING NEW ANTIMALARIAL INSECTICIDES TO MARKET

Unitaid is investing to create a market for new, affordable insecticidal sprays to replace older sprays which no longer work.

Mosquito populations around the world are developing increasing genetic resistance to insecticides. Spraying the walls and eaves of houses with insecticide, a technique called indoor residual spraying (IRS), is an effective way to kill malarial mosquitoes. Mosquito nets impregnated with insecticide also protect people from getting bitten.

Spraying of homes in some malaria-endemic areas has declined 40% in four years because newer insecticides are too expensive and older formulations do not work.

Since 2000, the number of people dying from malaria has more than halved. But those gains are threatened.

The four-year Next Generation IRS project, known as NgenIRS, is a partnership led by the Innovative Vector Control Consortium (IVCC). NgenIRS works in close collaboration with leading insecticide manufacturers, national malaria control programmes, the President’s Malaria Initiative, the Global Fund and other stakeholders. The project aims to protect as many as 50 million people from malaria in 16 African countries. Two to three new insecticides are expected to reach the market by 2020.

“Recent evidence has shown that insecticides are the first line of defence against malaria, responsible for nearly 80 percent of malaria cases averted since 2000. We are working with our industry partners to bring to market as soon as possible novel insecticides that are in the pipeline.” Dr. Nick Hamon Chief Executive Officer, IVCC