A new venture, Oxitec Australia, is taking on two of the deadliest virus-carrying mosquitos in the Pacific region – Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus – to fight the spread of diseases like dengue, Zika, and yellow fever, which claims hundreds of thousands of lives globally each year, according to a report by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).
Launched today, Oxitec Australia is a collaboration between CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, and UK-based Oxitec Ltd, the leading developer of biological solutions to control pests.
The Friendly™ platform, developed by Oxitec, releases genetically engineered male mosquitoes carrying a self-limiting gene that ensures only non-biting males survive, reducing overall mosquito populations. A “just-add-water” version of this technology will soon be available, subject to regulatory approval.
Professor Brett Sutton, Director of Health & Biosecurity at CSIRO, highlighted the urgency of combating invasive mosquito threats amplified by climate change and pesticide resistance.
“By investing in new and innovative solutions that complement existing control programs, we can reduce the public health impacts of these exotic and invasive mosquito species,” Sutton said.
“This technology platform could also be used to develop solutions for a wide spectrum of pests that threaten livestock and crops and our food systems,” he added
Grey Frandsen, CEO of Oxitec, said the launch of Oxitec Australia is a bold, strategic initiative to combat the region’s most pressing invasive pest challenges and is a demonstration of what can be done when innovators come together to solve big challenges.
“In collaboration with Indigenous communities, leading scientific institutions, industry partners and farmers, we’re committed to transforming how pest threats to health, food security and ecosystems are addressed,” Frandsen said.
Oxitec Australia is also developing an Aedes albopictus (Asian tiger mosquito) solution, with funding from CSIRO, to help prevent a major invasion risk to mainland Australia.
The new venture is already working with local communities in the Torres Strait affected by this mosquito and dengue outbreaks, with the aim of deploying this technology in impacted regions once completed.
For partnerships, contact CSIRO or email info@oxitecaustralia.co.
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