This document discusses a need for innovative approaches to pest and disease control. It summarizes the work of Advanced Pest Solutions Ltd (APS), a small to medium enterprise (SME) that develops innovative technologies and solutions for pest and disease control using a team of scientists. APS has developed a midge repellent called Smidge using the active ingredient Saltidin that provides effective and long-lasting protection. Smidge has been successful with over 45,000 units sold and distribution in hundreds of retail outlets in Scotland and interest from other countries.

1. A need for innovative approaches to pest and disease control
AN SME’S PERSPECTIVE
Dr Alison Blackwell, Advanced Pest Solutions Ltd.

2. THE CHALLENGE
Pests and diseases are responsible for substantial losses across a range of sectors:
 Food production
 Human and animal health
 Quality of life

3. THE CHALLENGE
Increasing resistance, legislative changes and an increasing consumer
need for chemical-free solutions are all hindering effective management
The challenge to an SME:
 developing and marketing innovative and sustainable solutions, with often
limited budget and resources and against significant competition

4. WHAT DOES APS DO?
Develop and delivery innovative technologies and solutions for pest and
disease control
A core scientific team comprising of molecular biologists, bacteriologists,
entomologists and ecologists
Close working relationships with key industry partners, allowing
technology and product development to be focussed where there is
commercial need and application
Funded through a combination of equity finance, grants and an active
revenue stream
Key to success:
 diversity in technology development and market application

5. WHAT DOES APS DO?
Hands-on
pest
management
programmes
Inesct
behavioural
modification
technologies
Novel
antimicrobial
technologies

6. WHAT DOES APS DO?

7. INSECT PESTS IN THE NEWS

8. INSECT PESTS IN THE NEWS

9. INSECT PESTS IN THE NEWS

10. INSECT PEST CONTROL
Habitat manipulation Traps
Repellents
Insecticides

11. INSECT PEST CONTROL

12. OPTIONS FOR INSECT REPELLENTS
 ‘Natural’ & ‘synthetic’
 Natural:
 incl. wood smoke & a whole range of essential oils
(tea tree, boy myrtle, neem, eucalyptus etc)
 disadvantages of ‘natural’ repellents – short activity,
odour, skin irritation
 Recent legislation has reduce the number of
approved actives in the EU to just 4:
 DEET [synthetic]
 Picaridn (Saltidin) [synthetic – Bayer]
 IR3535 [synthetic – Merck]
 Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (PMD) – only naturally-
derived repellent that can legally make repellent
claims in the EU

13. HOW DO INSECT REPELLENTS WORK?
 Inhibiting the response to an otherwise attractive signal
 Switching the sensory message from attraction to
repulsion
 Activating a receptor system that controls a competing
behavior
 Activating a noxious odor receptor
 Activating different receptor types simultaneously,
resulting in loss of the specific signal for host finding

14. HOW DO INSECT REPELLENTS WORK?

15. APS REPELLENT INNOVATION

16. APS REPELLENT INNOVATION

17. APS REPELLENT INNOVATION
A repellent for midges in Scotland (and biting pests outside of the UK)
that would:
 be effective
 be safe
 have a competitive edge over other products
 On the market repellents
 lacked personality
 Either medically-orientated or ‘natural/organic’
 We wanted a different brand for Scotland that
represented the fun, outdoor activities people
are involved in, whilst maintaining a high level
of family-safe repellency

19. APS REPELLENT INNOVATION
Launched in 2010
A broad-spectrum repellent suitable for the whole
family
Specifications:
A long-lasting (8h+), waterproof skin protection
that is efficient against all blood-feeding insects,
worldwide

20. WHAT’S IN THE BOTTLE?

21. APS REPELLENT INNOVATION
 Chemical names: Icaridin (EU, RoW), Picaridin (USA/CAN)
 Common names: Icaridin, Saltidin, Picaridn Saltidin®
 Saltidin® is a safe and reliable active ingredient for insect
repellents, combining widespread effective protection with
pleasant cosmetic properties
 Saltidin® is recommended by the World Health
Organization & many other national health organisations
 Saltidin® is one of only 4 repellent actives that has been
registered under the EU Biocidal Products’ Directive, in
addition to registrations in the USA, Brazil, Canada, Asia
and Australia according to EPA Guidelines

22. APS REPELLENT INNOVATION
Efficiency:
Saltidin® Long lasting
Broad spectrum of
insects
Safety:
Compatibility: Non toxic
Safe for plastics Non irritating to skin
Safe for Low adsorption
coatings/sealants Non-sensitising to skin
Safe for the environment
Cosmetic properties:
Discreet scent/odorless
Non sticky
Pleasant skin feel
Non greasy

23. APS REPELLENT INNOVATION

24. APS REPELLENT INNOVATION
Saltidin® Saltidin® DEET
Aedes aegyti (Yellow fever) 7.3h (15%) 5.2h (15%)
Aedes albopictus (Dengue) 6h (20%) 4h (20%)
Culex spp (West Nile virus) >8h (12%) >8h (17%)
Anopheles spp. (Malaria) >8 h (12%) 7h (17%)
Biting midges >8h (20%) --
Ticks (various) 2-6h (20%) 0.5-4h (20%)
Length of protection in hours, and concentration of active

25. APS REPELLENT INNOVATION
Smidge®: 20% Saltidin solution, in a patented moisturising,
water/sweat-proof lotion formulation:
 Powerful, reliable protection for up to 8 hours against
midges, mosquitoes and other biting insects
 4 hours protection against ticks
 Water and sweat resistant
 Pleasant smell & moisturising
 Safe for use on adults, children over 24 months and
pregnant women
 Safe alternative to DEET
 Won’t melt plastic kit
 Human-friendly fragrance
 Scientifically proven in Scotland

26. HOW WELL DOES IT WORK?

27. APS REPELLENT INNOVATION
Anopheles stephensi
The major vector of
malaria in the Middle
East & S. Asia
8h protection with
all test species

28. APS REPELLENT INNOVATION
The arms speak for themselves
after a night in the Highlands of
Scotland exposed to biting midges

29. INNOVATION IN PROMOTION

30. INNOVATION IN PROMOTION

31. INNOVATION IN PROMOTION
www.facebook.com/TheSmidgeForecast

32. INNOVATION IN PROMOTION
www.twitter.com/midgeforecast

33. INNOVATION IN PROMOTION
www.midgeforecast.co.uk

34. INNOVATION IN PROMOTION

35. MIDGE FORECAST
14
1s t June
Obs erved
Predicted
12
10
ARMA model including air
temperature, rainfall, wind
speed & sunlight: 60% of
observed variation
ln(Total + 1)
8
6
Relating midge activity to
4
meteorological factors
throughout several midge
2
seasons
0
6/5 20/5 3/6 17/6 1/7 15/7 29/7 12/8 26/8 9/9
date (day/m onth)

36. MIDGE FORECAST

37. MIDGE FORECAST
The forecast output is verified by a network of midge traps,
operated by volunteers, weekly from May - September

38. SMIDGE SALES

39. SMIDGE SALES
Events
Retailers
Online

40. SMIDGE SALES
Smidge launched in 46 Scottish Tesco
stores, 9th May 2012
380 UK Smidge retailers to date

41. ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE

42. APS REPELLENT INNOVATION
 25,000 units sold in only the second
season (2011) & 45,000 target for 2012
 Nearly 400 trade outlets
 Active social media outlets (Facebook
& Twitter)
 Overseas interest (Scandinavia,
Australia) & launched into Asia (May
2012)
 Winner of Nexxus Innovation Award
2011
 Now the best selling repellent in
Scotland’s biggest outdoor retail shop
(Tiso)
 Secured a contract to supply the UK’s
largest supermarket chain in 2012
(Tesco)

43. www.advancedpestsolutions.co.uk