AgroPages-Oxitec opens GM mosquitoes factory in Brazil-Agricultural news

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Oxitec has inaugurated its first factory in the city of Piracicaba, state of São Paulo, Brazil for the large-scale production of genetically modified Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. By reproducing with savage insects, the “Good Aedes” transmits genes that impede the larvae growth of the developing adults.

A unit of 5,000 square meters has the capacity to produce up to 60 million transgenic mosquitos per week. According to the manufacturer, this volume is capable of protecting three million people from Aedes aegypti, the main transmitter of Zika, dengue and chikungunya.

"This unit of Good Aedes increases our current production capacity by 30 times. Through this, we can ratify our capacity to produce Good Aedes in any scale, and we are prepared to expand our production to help even more Brazilians and other people affected by these mosquitoes,” Gen Slade, director of Oxitec Brasil and vice-president of Oxitec affirmed.

Since the end of April 2015, the Good Aedes has been released in Piracicaba with good results. Preliminary surveys have shown a reduction in the larvae of savage Aedes aegypti by 82% compared to a control area. In July 2016, the Epidemiological Surveillance of Piracicaba released data indicating a reduction in the number of dengue cases registered in 2015-2016 by 91% compared to 2014-2015 period.

The transgenic mosquito also received a favorable opinion from the National Technical Commission of Biosafety (CTNBio). Under the technical name OX513A, the insect is considered safe for human beings, the environment, animals and vegetables. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration granted Good Aedes a result of non-significant impact (FONSI), saying that it does not put the human and environment health at risk. The World Health Organization also recommended Good Aedes under operational conditions.