A new weapon in the global fight against malaria

Malaria is one of the world’s most deadly diseases, and it is becoming more pervasive – despite decades of effort and some successes on the path to eradicating it. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), malaria infected 263 million people and killed nearly 600,000 people in 2023 – 75% of whom were children under the age of 5. Of those afflicted, 94% are in Africa – where malaria crushes communities and can cripple economies.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250422328472/en/

Spread by parasites in infected mosquitoes that are highly adept at evolving, malaria’s rise reflects the reality of insecticide resistance and the difficulties developing new solutions. The effective control of mosquitoes remains a key strategy for reducing disease transmission.

Syngenta, a global leader in agricultural innovation, today announced that its next-generation insecticide Sovrenta^® has received pre-qualification by WHO, paving the way for its use in malaria-afflicted countries. For decades, Syngenta has been at the forefront of the fight against malaria, reflecting its commitment to researching new solutions through in-house R&D efforts and working alongside key partners across sub-Saharan Africa; its products such as Actellic^® already help avert as many as 100 million cases of malaria in more than 30 countries.

Sovrenta^® works by targeting a mosquito’s nervous system, blocking signals that enable the insect’s muscles to relax. The effect paralyzes the mosquito, so that it eventually dies. The ability of Sovrenta^® to provide long-lasting, effective control means just one application is required each season, reducing the cost for malaria prevention programs.

Sovrenta^® is based on Syngenta’s cutting-edge PLINAZOLIN^® technology that features a new mode of action, ensuring effective control of mosquitoes even where the insect’s populations are increasingly resistant to older insecticides. When used in rotation with other products, Sovrenta^® can further ensure that important vector control solutions remain effective for longer.

Andy Bywater, Global Head of Marketing for Vector Control at Syngenta Crop Protection, said: “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.”

Bywater said Sovrenta^® is a crucial addition to Syngenta’s vector control portfolio that allows for enhanced resistance-management strategies. That is key in regions where mosquitoes are resistant to older insecticides based on pyrethroids – the most common forms of treatment. “Sovrenta® is the only insecticide recognized to provide year-long protection and gives malaria control programs a powerful tool to safeguard communities,” Bywater said. “We are dedicated to collaborating with partners to ensure Sovrenta^® is deployed sustainably and effectively.”

The WHO’s Vector Control Product Pre-Qualification (VCPP) is a rigorous process that ensures the safety, efficacy, and quality of vector-borne disease control products. Its list of prequalified vector control products is used by international procurement agencies and by countries to guide bulk purchasing of these products for distribution in resource-limited countries.

Web Resources

Media release image pack
Syngenta Media Library

About Syngenta

Syngenta is a global leader in agricultural innovation with a presence in more than 90 countries. Syngenta is focused on developing technologies and farming practices that empower farmers, so they can make the transformation required to feed the world’s population while preserving our planet. Its bold scientific discoveries deliver better benefits for farmers and society on a bigger scale than ever before. Guided by its Sustainability Priorities, Syngenta is developing new technologies and solutions that support farmers to grow healthier plants in healthier soil with a higher yield. Syngenta Crop Protection is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland; Syngenta Seeds is headquartered in the United States. Read our stories and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram & X.

Syngenta Vector Control plays a leading role in the prevention of vector-borne disease transmission through its portfolio of mosquito control products. Visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn & X.

Data protection is important to us. You are receiving this publication on the legal basis of Article 6 para 1 lit. f GDPR (“legitimate interest”). However, if you do not wish to receive further information about Syngenta, just send us a brief informal message and we will no longer process your details for this purpose. You can also find further details in our privacy statement.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This document may contain forward-looking statements, which can be identified by terminology such as ‘expect’, ‘would’, ‘will’, ‘potential’, ‘plans’, ‘prospects’, ‘estimated’, ‘aiming’, ‘on track’ and similar expressions. Such statements may be subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from these statements. For Syngenta, such risks and uncertainties include risks relating to legal proceedings, regulatory approvals, new product development, increasing competition, customer credit risk, general economic and market conditions, compliance and remediation, intellectual property rights, implementation of organizational changes, impairment of intangible assets, consumer perceptions of genetically modified crops and organisms or crop protection chemicals, climatic variations, fluctuations in exchange rates and/or commodity prices, single source supply arrangements, political uncertainty, natural disasters, and breaches of data security or other disruptions of information technology. Syngenta assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changed assumptions or other factors.

©2025 Syngenta. Rosentalstrasse 67, 4058 Basel, Switzerland.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250422328472/en/