UK Firm to Use Genetically Modified Mosquitoes to combat Malaria crisis in Uganda

Summary:

• Oxitec, a British firm specializing in mosquito gene modification, is set to collaborate with the Uganda Virus Research Institute to combat malaria in Uganda. The lethal gene, passed to mosquito offspring, prevents their maturation.

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Oxitec, a British company specializing in introducing a lethal gene into mosquitoes, is poised to collaborate with the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) to address the malaria crisis in East Africa. The announcement took place during a meeting between President Museveni and Oxitec’s CEO, Grey Frandsen, in Rwakitura, Kiruhura District, on Tuesday.

President Museveni extended a warm welcome to Oxitec in Uganda, expressing support for their collaboration with UVRI to collectively combat malaria in the country. He assured full assistance to the institution in developing a solution to combat the life-threatening disease.

Oxitec’s gene modification technique involves inserting a lethal gene into mosquitoes, which is passed on to their offspring, leading to their death before reaching adulthood. The company has successfully employed this technology in Brazil since 2011 and has explored projects in Panama, Djibouti, and the Marshall Islands.

In 2020, Oxitec received approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to release mosquitoes with a “self-limiting gene” in Florida and Texas. Despite successful trials in Mexico and Brazil, the mosquito release faced resistance in the Florida Keys from groups opposed to genetically modified organisms. Over 150,000 residents petitioned the Food and Drug Administration, but the agency ruled that the mosquitoes would not have a significant impact, and the Oxitec release commenced in spring 2021.

During the Rwakitura meeting, Grey informed President Museveni that the Anopheles funestus is a major malaria vector in Sub-Saharan Africa. Emphasizing the urgency of addressing this vector due to cyclic transmission year-round, Grey mentioned Oxitec’s intent to establish a unique public-private partnership with the Government of Uganda, marking the first of its kind in Africa.

Uganda has faced a heightened malaria burden since January 2022, with cases exceeding 300,000 reported weekly at its peak. The country holds the world’s highest malaria incidence rate, with 478 cases per 1,000 population per year, according to the World Health Organization. Malaria is a leading cause of sickness and death in Uganda, responsible for 40 percent of outpatient visits, 25 percent of hospital admissions, and 14 percent of all hospital deaths. The estimated malaria death rate in Uganda ranges from 70,000 to 100,000 per year, surpassing that of HIV/AIDS. The economic loss due to malaria in Uganda is estimated to be over $500 million annually.

The meeting in Rwakitura was attended by key figures, including the Minister of Health, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, Prof. Pontiano Kaleebu, Director-UVRI, and Dr. Joseph Okware, Director of Health Services in the Ministry of Health, among others.

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