Bayer CropScience and IVCC extend research agreement

Bayer CropScience and UK-based IVCC have extended their successful partnership to discover new solutions for Public Health Products (PHPs). Under a new agreement signed today, the two parties agreed to cooperate for a further three years in the search for new active ingredients effective against mosquitoes, which transmit diseases such as malaria and dengue fever.

“New ideas and answers are key in our continued fight against malaria, and as a global innovation and market leader in vector control, we are proud to be working so closely and successfully with IVCC in our common battle against this,” said Sandra Peterson, CEO of Bayer CropScience. She reaffirmed the company’s commitment to offer its expertise – which comprise its library of substances and screening capabilities as well as extensive experience in chemical synthesis, and insecticides research and development.

According to figures of the World Health Organization (WHO), about 3.3 billion people – half of the world´s population – are at risk of malaria. Every year, there are about 250 million cases and nearly one million deaths.

Commenting on the project, IVCC Chief Operating Officer Dr. Tom McLean said: “Resistance to current products is one of the greatest problems facing us in our battle against malaria – one of the biggest killers in the developing world. As an important pillar of our New Active Ingredient project portfolio, the collaboration with Bayer CropScience gives us access to the profound expertise of the agrochemical industry and brings its special aptitude to bear on one of the greatest challenges to health in the developing world.”