January 10, 2004

By: Kyle Smit
Website: http://www.1st-in-mosquito-control.com

Poseidon develops new technology to enhance performance of mosquito repellents

Poseidon Sciences has completed the development of a safe, environmentally-friendly, highly-effective product that can be added to existing cosmetic formulations that prevent mosquitoes from biting.

This comes as U.S. health and local officials struggle through another deadly outbreak this summer of the West Nile virus, and an increase in the mosquito population following a long, wet spring season.

Protecting oneself against mosquito bites for as long as you possibly can through the use of repellents remains one of the best precautions. Poseidon’s MR Technology is the result of over ten years of research on repellents. Recent test results on MR Technology show the enhancement of protection times of formulations containing DEET and other natural products.

This new material, referred to as MR-008, is a GRAS (generally regarded as safe) compound, which can be formulated into a moisturizer, cream, spray or lotion to provide protection times of up to eight hours. MR-008 also does not harm clothes, plastics and synthetics it comes into contact with.

“We expect MR-008 to be a complementary reinforcement to the protection offered by existing natural, but weaker repellents,” says Lara Parpan, Communications Director of Poseidon Sciences, Inc.

Mosquito-borne diseases prevail throughout the world. A vaccine against the West Nile virus, which killed 284 people in the U.S. in 2002, is not expected in a few years.
Malaria remains one of the most infectious diseases in the less developed regions of the world, killing more than one million persons a year; dengue fever is five percent fatal among the millions that catch it annually, while yellow fever claims more than 30,000 lives worldwide.

Poseidon Sciences is a company based in New York with research facilities worldwide. It is engaged in discovering novel technologies for applications in human health and the environment.

Among its recent innovations is a nontoxic antifouling additive to prevent the attachment of fouling organisms such as barnacles and algae on ships’ bottoms. Poseidon’s current research activities include development of natural compounds for use in diabetes and inflammation.

Also see: Yellow Fever

Author Notes:

Kyle Smit contributes and publishes news editorial to http://www.1st-in-mosquito-control.com.  Find mosquito control products, repellent sprays, traps, netting and other alternative measures for protection.