Bayer announced the launch of Fludora® Co-Max in Côte d’Ivoire, an innovative space spray solution to help prevent mosquito-borne arboviruses including dengue, zika and chikungunya. The launch of Fludora® Co-Max, which combines two active ingredients with unrelated modes of action, marks a major milestone in ongoing industry efforts to actively and sustainably combat resistance in mosquitoes.
Spread by Aedes mosquitoes, dengue is often cited as the most common and fastest growing mosquito-borne disease in the world. Classed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as endemic in over 100 countries in the WHO regions of Africa, the Americas, the Eastern Mediterranean, South-East Asia and the Western Pacific, dengue presents an ever-increasing burden for countries greatly impacted by the disease. With no cure for the disease, prevention through vector control is critical in preventing epidemics and safeguarding public health in high-risk areas.
In last years, West Africa has experienced increasing instances of dengue and chikungunya due to factors such as rapid growth of urban populations. This, combined with additional public health concerns due to the coronavirus pandemic, means it is a priority region for strengthening capacities around Aedes mosquito surveillance and control.
“The introduction of Fludora® Co-Max in Côte d’Ivoire marks the launch of the first major space spray for use in the region.” says Aladji Cisse, Head of Sub-Saharan Africa for the Environmental Science unit at Bayer. “The product will be an efficacious, cost effective and safe addition for public health programs in the region enabling them to deliver greater impact against disease-carrying mosquitoes and better protect the health of communities,”
With the development of mosquito resistance to current vector control solutions, the need for innovation and greater efficacy in space spray solutions, which target flying adult mosquitoes generally outdoors, is vital.
Fludora® Co-Max works by combining two active ingredients: transfluthrin and flupyradifurone – the latter being a novel mode of action for use in public health. The combination of the two compounds makes it more difficult for Aedes mosquitoes to develop resistance, thus providing greater long-term effectiveness in controlling the spread of diseases.
In addition to the novel combination of active ingredients, Fludora® Co-Max uses a unique formulation technology which contributes to both its effectiveness and sustainability in use. This innovation allows dilution of the product in water – instead of hydrocarbon-based diluents such as diesel oil – which helps maintain efficacy over greater distances and lowers the environmental impact. For residents in areas constantly plagued by mosquito-borne disease, the use of space sprays by public health programs can be a reassurance that the community is protected. Fludora® Co-Max, while highly effective, has none of the drawbacks of certain other products such as strong odor or spotting/staining on surfaces in areas of application.
In bringing this combination product to market, Bayer teams will work closely with external stakeholders to strategically provide educational materials and adapted training programs in proper equipment calibration and usage. Promoting effective stewardship from the ground up is a key as the product is introduced into the local market. “We have a strong team in Africa to support the product, stewardship and to further reinforce insecticide resistance management in the region” adds Cisse.
While the initial launch of Fludora® Co-Max takes place today in Côte d’Ivoire, Bayer will be introducing the product in other affected counties in Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia Pacific and Latin America throughout 2021 and 2022.
Fludora® Co-Max is a new water-based insecticide space spray concentrate for use in the control, indoors and outdoors, of adult mosquito vectors of disease. Fludora® Co-Max contains the butenolide flupyradifurone and the pyrethroid transfluthrin. The two unrelated modes of action aid in the control of Pyrethroid resistant mosquitoes and help to slow down the development of resistance.
