WHO Approves Syngenta's Sovrenta to Combat Malaria-Carrying Bugs

Malaria continues to be one of the greatest killers among the diseases that can be found in the world at the moment; it has evaded and is continuing to spread and become worse despite the years of interventions.

According to World Health Organization (WHO), the number of infections was reported at 263 million, with about 600,000 deaths occurring of which 75% were children under the age of five. Africa indeed suffers the most, as it accounts for 94% of the malaria cases, it actually devastates the economy very badly in almost all communities.

The above disease is caused through parasites carried by mosquitoes, and mosquitoes are also rapidly becoming resistant to the known insecticides. Effective mosquito control, for that reason, still remains the most crucial way to reduce transmission. So in this pioneering effort, Syngenta announced WHO pre-qualification for its novel insecticide, Sovrenta. This paves the way for its use in countries where malaria abounds.

"This marks an important milestone in Syngenta’s quest to bring its most advanced innovations to malaria-endemic countries, and to advancing the health and safety of the millions still at risk", said Andy Bywater, Global Head of Marketing for Vector Control at Syngenta Crop Protection.

"Sovrenta is the only insecticide recognized to provide year-long protection and gives malaria control programs a powerful tool to safeguard communities. We are dedicated to collaborating with partners to ensure Sovrenta is deployed sustainably and effectively", he added.

Sovrenta, based on Syngenta’s PLINAZOLIN technology, targets mosquito nervous systems, causing paralysis and death. Its long-lasting action results in requiring only one seasonal application and, therefore, reduces costs for prevention programs. This new mode of action works even against resistant mosquito populations and also supports insecticide rotation to preserve their effectiveness.

Syngenta has a long history of controlling malaria through products such as Actellic, which helped avert millions of cases. It strengthens the Syngenta vector control product portfolio and is essential in managing resistance, particularly in areas that rely on the old insecticides, such as pyrethroids. Finally, the WHO prequalification assure0s that Sovrenta is truly meeting precious safety, quality, and efficacy stands.