allAfrica.com: South Africa: Student Puts University On World Map (Page 1 of 1)

A MASTERS degree project has meant more than a pass or fail for a South African student -- the research has led to an agreement to commercialise the end product.

Ilse Asquith, who has subsequently completed her doctorate, came up with the insect repellant formulation that is due to be on shelves next year as part of her masters degree, which she started in 2005 .

Asquith says she wanted to do something a bit different, as well as something that would have value for poorer communities.

"I wanted to do something that was worthwhile," she says.

The concept was suggested to her by her supervisor, Prof Ben Zeelie. Researcher Shawn Gouws was also involved in the project.

InnoVenton was formed by the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University after it reviewed operating entities at the former Port Elizabeth Technikon and the University of Port Elizabeth.

Three units of the former Port Elizabeth Technikon -- the Catalysis Research Unit (Petcru), ChemQuest (semi-commercial analytical laboratory of the Port Elizabeth Technikon's chemistry department), and the Materials Resource Centre -- were merged to form the InnoVenton: NMMU Institute of Chemical Technology.

After finishing her degree in product and process development in chemistry two years later, the process of trying to commercialise Asquith's product started.

The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University said in June that it had reached an agreement with an investment partner, Afrepell Manufacturing, to produce and market a range of insect repellent products. The university will enter a joint venture to manufacture, sell and license RepelloX.

Afrepell Manufacturing has already entered agreements with Koram in the UK and US to market the RepelloX products and technology internationally.

Afrepell Manufacturing and The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University staff have visited the US and -- together with Koram -- made presentations to senior management at five major multinational corporations, all of which are involved in the marketing of insect repellent products for both personal and household use. Confidentiality agreements have been signed between Afrepell Manufacturing and the companies visited and a development agreement has been signed with one of them.

Although it is difficult to assess the time required to develop new or reformulated retail products, it is likely that retail products incorporating RepelloX will be available to the international and local market from next year.

The university says the formulation developed has a better level of efficacy than other products, improved safety and smells and feels better.

Asquith says the repellant was essentially a new recipe of ingredients already available, but the combination has proved to be effective against all sorts of mosquitoes and has passed South African Bureau of Standards tests.

The World Health Organisation says about 40% of the world's population, mostly those living in the world's poorest countries, are at risk of malaria. Every year, more than 500-million people become severely ill with malaria. Most cases and deaths are in sub-Saharan Africa. However, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and parts of Europe are also affected.

The first important stage of commercialisation is to bring out a product that is accessible to poorer communities, and negotiations are under way to achieve this.

Asquith says people have different levels of attractiveness to biting insects such as mosquitoes. This is why two people around the same campfire will experience a different numbers of mosquito bites, for example.

Despite this, most insect repellent products depend on a single active substance to repel insects. At the moment, the most effective insect repellent substance is Deet, the active ingredient in most tick and insect repellents.

But Asquith says because only one active ingredient is used, relatively high concentrations are needed to make the product effective.

And warning bells are being sounded on the use of Deet.

Christopher Gavigan, CEO and executive director of the nonprofit organisation Healthy Child Healthy World, which offers information and expertise to help create healthy environments for families and children, says Deet "is known to have adverse health effects when overused, especially on children".

Asquith says the new active ingredient, which has yet to be coupled with a product such as a spray or lotion, is safer to use because less of the ingredient is needed in the end product than in items that are on the shelves at the moment. Her research revealed that, by combining several different types of chemicals that differ in their mode of action, the end result is more effective than the compounds acting alone, and at lower concentrations.

Asquith has since started her own business, advising companies on chemical health and safety issues.

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