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Friendly™ male mosquitoes are non-biting male mosquitoes that carry two genes inserted into the mosquito. A self-limiting gene allows us to release male-only adult mosquitoes into the environment. These mate with local invasive female mosquitoes, and the self-limiting gene prevents female offspring from surviving.

We use genetics to provide two useful traits in our insects. A self-limiting gene allows us to release male-only adult mosquitoes into the environment, which mate with local invasive female mosquitoes, and the self-limiting gene prevents female offspring from surviving. With sustained releases of self-limiting male mosquitoes, the number of pest females in the population is reduced, and the local invasive mosquito population declines. 

Our insects also carry a fluorescent marker gene which, when collected from traps from the field and viewed under special filters, allows us to distinguish the self-limiting insects from local invasive counterparts, this improves efficiency and aids monitoring.

Yes, the introduced genes in Friendly™ mosquitoes encode proteins that are safe and non-toxic, so natural predators aren’t harmed by eating them. In addition, because this approach works through mating between a male and female mosquito, only the target species is reduced: beneficial species like butterflies and bees are unharmed.

Oxitec Friendly™ Aedes aegypti mosquitoes have been determined to pose no threat to humans or the environment by multiple regulatory agencies, including both the EPA and the FDA in the US, as well as in Brazil where we have conducted numerous successful field demonstrations. 

In Brazil the Friendly™ Aedes aegypti mosquito – targeting the world’s most important dengue-spreading mosquito – is now commercially approved and serving communities, city governments and businesses nationwide.

Yes, we have shown that Friendly™ mosquitoes can reduce target mosquito populations to much lower levels than is typically achievable using conventional tools. For example, Oxitec has successfully piloted Friendly™ Aedes aegypti technology in Indaiatuba, Brazil, resulting in more than 95% suppression of wild Aedes aegypti in densely populated urban neighbourhoods. You can read the publication here.

Many communities in Australia remain unprotected from the invasive dengue mosquito, Aedes aegypti, in Queensland, the Torres Strait, and sporadically in the Northern Territory. In a changing world, with dengue case rates escalating to unprecedented levels globally, and in the face of rising insecticide resistance, new effective and sustainable management solutions are needed to reduce the threat of disease-spreading mosquitoes. 2024 has already surpassed the worst year for dengue cases on record. In Australia, the World Health Organization reports dengue cases this year are approximately 2 times higher than in 2023

Oxitec’s Friendly™ mosquitoes and Wolbachia-based strategies are both innovative, targeted approaches to managing Aedes aegypti populations and reducing mosquito-borne diseases like dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. While they work through different biological mechanisms, they can be used in complementary ways.

Wolbachia Replacement Technology is designed to replace existing Aedes aegypti populations. Friendly™ mosquitoes are designed to suppress the mosquito, so would address instances where biting nuisance from the mosquito affects peoples’ wellbeing and lifestyles.

Aedes aegypti is established in northern and central Queensland, and dengue cases are on the rise across Australia. There is an increasing trend amongst vector control experts to employ an integrated pest management approach that relies on a suite of management options to optimize protection against disease-carrying mosquitoes while protecting sustainability. Oxitec’s Friendly™ mosquitoes may provide an extra level of protection against dengue, while reducing nuisance mosquito biting. The Friendly™ approach can work well alongside existing Wolbachia programs: there is no scientific evidence to suggest that deployments of Friendly™ male mosquitoes would alter the balance of existing Wolbachia-carrying mosquitoes in Australia communities (where they have established as a dengue-preventative measure).

This technology will be available to protect Australian communities only after it passes stringent government and regulatory approvals and undergoes extensive community engagement and consultation. We are committed to applying robust and transparent scientific processes to ensure that this technology is tested and is safe for deployment.