Our business

Oxitec is a pioneer in controlling insects that spread disease and damage crops. Through world class science we are playing our part in tackling the major global challenges of keeping people healthy and increasing food production. And we are doing so in a way that is sustainable, environmentally friendly and cost effective.

Insects pose a major threat to man. Many diseases are spread by insects such as mosquitoes that transmit malaria, dengue fever and yellow fever. In agriculture, insects cause damage to crop yields and quality and cause significant financial loss.

Despite technical advances over the last 50 years, the danger is actually on the increase. Resistance to insecticides is growing and for some diseases (dengue fever, for example) there is neither medication nor vaccine. There is an urgent need for a new approach to complement the best existing practice.

We have developed technology arising from Oxford University to offer a new solution. Our approach is to breed and release sterile males of the damage-causing species. This highly targeted form of biological control is safe to other species, causes no lasting impact on the environment and is cost effective.

Intelligent insect control: large scale, effective, targeting the single damaging insect species, respecting the environment and managed by the local community.