A revolutionary and new IRS from Landcent

Vector control interventions has one of the highest returns on investment in public health. Two of the primary technologies used in vector control are Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLIN) and Indoor Residual Sprays (IRS). However historically, last mile affordability of these technologies has been a significant impediment to its adoption. For instance, apart from the cost of the insecticide, spray campaigns are expensive, with high operational costs (to train and monitor spraying and support staff), and the cost per additional application. Additional applications are inevitable given the short-term effect of current residual sprays.

The prohibitive costs of basic vector control has had demonstrable negative effects on ground. Today, fewer at risk people are being protected by IRS with a global decline from 5% in 2010 to 2% in 2018. This is astonishing given the fact that IRS is known to kill up to 60% of all mosquitoes and when used in combination with other measures, the spray can reduce infant mortality by 90%.

Landcent has set out to develop a long-lasting IRS based on a Carbamate Product with low toxicity and a duration of at least 18 months – which is twice the lifespan of current products in the market.

We started with initial screening to identify promising formulations and the non-pyrethroids insecticides (the kind recommended by WHO for public health use). Samples of the products we eventually developed were sent to an ISO certified facility at Hanoi and Thailand for testing.

Based on successful results from the laboratory trial phase, we subsequently moved on to the second phase of semi field tests in Burkina Faso in co-operation with Centre Muraz, Bobo Dioulasso. Test houses were built in the nearby village of Soumousso – with a combination of mud, concrete and red stone cut walls. In parallel the product was tested for toxicology and safety levels at a GLP Certified laboratory for Acute Oral Toxicity and Acute Dermal Toxicity as per OECD guidelines.

After three years of semi-field trials in Burkina Faso, we eventually narrowed down on 3 winning recipes that met all criterions of market worthiness (See table below)

(Click on image to enlarge)

The Landcent IRS, branded as DURUS® CS (Latin for Long-lasting) will last an entire year, which is two malaria seasons in the endemic areas. Besides the longer durability of the residual spray, our micro-encapsulation improves storage ability and better toxicology profile.

This Landcent product is revolutionary and is now a potential candidate for 3rd Generation IRS, heralding a new phase in malaria prevention.

(Landcent goes to market with DURUS® CS in 2022. We are currently raising investment for market entry.)