Advancing Innovation in Mosquito Management: How Envu Contributes to the Fight Against Malaria
Malaria is a life-threatening vector-borne disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes. While it is preventable and treatable, it continues to pose a significant global health challenge.
According to the latest malaria report from the World Health Organization, there were an estimated 282 million malaria cases and 610,000 deaths worldwide in 2024 – roughly 9 million more cases than the previous year. WHO reports that 95% of cases and deaths occur in Africa, with children under five accounting for the majority of these deaths.
While significant progress has been made—including 1 million lives saved in 2024 alone—there is still much work to do. Despite decades of progress, the fight against malaria is at a critical point. New challenges are making the disease harder to control. In some regions, malaria parasites are becoming resistant to the medicines used to treat infections, while mosquitoes are developing resistance to the insecticides used in tools like bed nets and indoor spraying—reducing the effectiveness of prevention efforts.
At the same time, new mosquito species are spreading into urban areas, diagnostic tools are becoming less reliable in some regions, and global funding gaps are straining malaria control programs.
These evolving challenges underscore the need for continued innovation in vector control—where environmental science plays a critical role in developing effective, sustainable solutions to help reduce disease transmission and protect communities.
Vector control: a critical foundation for malaria prevention
Preventing mosquito bites is one of the most effective ways to reduce malaria transmission. That is why vector control—managing the mosquitoes that spread disease—remains a cornerstone of global malaria prevention efforts.
Interventions such as indoor residual spraying (IRS)—where insecticides are applied to the inside walls of homes—and insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) play a major role in reducing transmission and protecting communities at scale.
However, these tools must continue to evolve to remain effective over time. As mosquito populations change and adapt, innovation in vector control is essential to sustain progress and strengthen prevention strategies.
How Envu is advancing innovation in vector control
As a global company dedicated solely to environmental science, Envu focuses on solving challenges at the intersection of public health and the environment—where effective mosquito control can help protect communities at scale.
Envu advances innovation in vector control through a set of interconnected efforts that span research, product development and real-world application. These efforts are focused across five key areas:
- Driving innovation in mosquito control technologies
- Addressing insecticide resistance
- Advancing real-world evidence through research
- Providing training, support and stewardship
- Partnering to strengthen mosquito management programs
Each of these areas plays a distinct role in advancing vector control, beginning with the development of innovative mosquito control technologies.
Driving innovation in mosquito control technologies
Envu focuses on developing mosquito control solutions that are not only scientifically effective, but also designed for real-world use—combining bio-efficacy, advanced formulations, and practical application in the field.
One example is Fludora® Fusion, the first combination product used in indoor residual spraying to delay resistance management and control mosquitoes responsible for malaria. This innovative Envu solution is designed to deliver up to 12 months of protection, target resistant mosquito populations, and remain practical for use in homes—without leaving an unpleasant odor. Its long-lasting performance also helps streamline operations for public health programs, improving efficiency and reducing costs.
Fludora Fusion has been deployed in more than 25 countries, reaching over 20 million households and protecting more than 80 million people across Sub-Saharan Africa, demonstrating its role in large-scale malaria control efforts.
In Rwanda, the impact of sustained mosquito management efforts is clear. In 2016, the country faced more than 5 million malaria cases. By 2024, that number had dropped to approximately 620,000 cases—an 88% reduction.
But this progress is about more than statistics. It is about families no longer forced to choose between paying for treatment and meeting basic needs. It is about children returning to school and adults returning to work. It is about communities regaining strength and stability after years of disruption caused by disease.
As one community leader describes in the video below, when malaria declines, “everyone in the population takes a hoe and goes out into the field to cultivate… their strength is restored because the disease is gone.”
Watch the story of transformation in Rwanda and see what’s possible when science, innovation, and collaboration come together:
Addressing insecticide resistance
Insecticide resistance is one of the most significant threats to malaria control. Over time, repeated exposure to the same insecticide allows a small number of mosquitoes to survive and reproduce, passing on traits that make them harder to control. As resistance spreads, tools that once worked effectively can lose their impact.
To stay ahead of this challenge, Envu supports research to better understand how resistance develops—and how it can be slowed. One example is a study conducted in collaboration with the Alpine Ecology Laboratory (LECA), where researchers set out to test a critical question:
Can combining different insecticides slow the development of resistance over time?
To answer this, scientists studied mosquito populations across multiple generations, comparing the effects of using a single active ingredient—deltamethrin or clothianidin—with combining both.
The results were clear: using two distinct modes of action significantly delayed resistance development. In practical terms, this means mosquitoes must overcome two separate biological mechanisms at once—making it far more difficult for resistance to take hold and spread.
This breakthrough directly informed the development of Fludora® Fusion, which combines these two active ingredients into a single solution. By targeting mosquitoes through complementary pathways, it helps maintain effectiveness even in areas where resistance is already present.
More importantly, it demonstrates a broader shift in how vector control is evolving—from relying on single solutions to designing integrated, science-driven approaches that can adapt alongside changing mosquito populations.
Explore the research behind this breakthrough in mosquito control:
Advancing real-world evidence through research
Envu works with partners to generate field-based evidence on how vector control strategies perform in real-world conditions—helping ensure that solutions are not only effective in theory, but deliver measurable impact in practice.
In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Envu contributed to a multi-year public-private consortium study (2019–2023) that evaluated integrated vector management programs across areas representing 23% of the city’s population. The study assessed targeted residual spraying using K-Othrine® PolyZone®, a formulation designed for long-lasting performance in challenging environments. The findings confirmed that well-executed, integrated approaches can significantly reduce mosquito populations and disease transmission.
This type of research goes beyond individual products. It helps build the evidence base that informs how vector control programs are designed, implemented, and scaled—ensuring that interventions remain effective as environments and disease patterns evolve.
In Malaysia, this approach has also supported efforts to address emerging threats such as zoonotic “monkey malaria,” where traditional indoor control methods are less effective. Through collaboration with research institutions and public health authorities, Envu has helped explore new approaches, including outdoor residual spraying, to better target mosquitoes in complex environments.
Learn more about how Envu and its partners are addressing emerging malaria challenges in Malaysia: Fighting Monkey Malaria in Malaysia
Providing training, support and stewardship
Effective mosquito control depends not only on products, but on how they are used in real-world conditions. Envu supports mosquito management programs through training, technical guidance, and stewardship initiatives designed to ensure solutions are applied safely, effectively, and sustainably.
This includes on-the-ground training for spray operators, collaboration with public health teams and ongoing support to help programs maintain quality and consistency in implementation. In Rwanda, as mentioned above, training and operator support have helped ensure indoor residual spraying programs are carried out efficiently and safely—contributing to their long-term success.
Envu also works to strengthen local expertise through initiatives such as the Vector Control Professional Placement Programme (VCP³), developed in partnership with Innovation to Impact and funded by the Gates Foundation. The program provides researchers from African institutions with hands-on experience in product development and vector control best practices, helping bridge the gap between research and real-world application.
These efforts reflect a broader commitment to stewardship and capacity building—ensuring that mosquito control solutions are not only deployed, but used in ways that maximize impact and support long-term public health outcomes.
Partnering to strengthen mosquito management programs
Addressing malaria requires coordinated action across governments, researchers, and local communities. Envu works alongside public health organizations, research institutions, and global partners to support mosquito management programs that are tailored to local conditions.
These partnerships enable the implementation of integrated vector management strategies, combining tools such as indoor residual spraying, bed nets, and targeted interventions to close gaps in protection and improve overall effectiveness.
Through these partnerships—spanning field programs, research, and innovation—Envu helps strengthen the systems and strategies needed to reduce the global burden of malaria.
Learn more about how Envu is working with partners to advance mosquito management and protect communities:
- Shared Ground - Inside the Envu Research Partnership with Indiana University
- Transforming Communities: Envu Innovations for Healthier Spaces and People
Advancing the next generation of mosquito control
As mosquito-borne diseases evolve, so must the tools used to control them. Envu continues to invest in next-generation mosquito management solutions designed to address emerging challenges while reducing environmental impact.
Recent innovations reflect this shift toward more targeted, sustainable approaches. In 2025, Envu introduced Barricor® Essential Mosquito Control, a botanical solution formulated with essential oils and designed to deliver effective mosquito control with a low toxicological profile and no impact on pollinators. The product also represents a milestone as the first new patent awarded to Envu as an independent company.
At the same time, the 2025 acquisition of In2Careand expansion of its technology is advancing a new model for mosquito control—one that leverages mosquito behavior itself. The In2Care Mosquito Station attracts mosquitoes and turns them into carriers that spread active ingredients to breeding sites, helping control populations in areas that are often difficult to reach through traditional methods.
These innovations reflect a broader approach to vector control—combining chemistry, biology, and behavior-based strategies to build more adaptive and resilient mosquito management programs.
As global conditions continue to change, this kind of innovation will be critical to sustaining progress and protecting communities from malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases.
Envu impact continues to expand through these efforts. In 2024, Envu mosquito management solutions contributed to protecting 7.9 million households from vector-borne diseases, up from 7 million the previous year, with a target of reaching 8.8 million households by 2026.
This growing reach reflects a broader commitment to advancing mosquito control solutions that are not only effective, but also designed to minimize environmental impact and support healthier communities worldwide.