Efficacy of broflanilide (VECTRON™ T500), a new meta-diamide insecticide, for indoor residual spraying against pyrethroid-resistant malaria vectors

The rotational use of insecticides with different modes of action for indoor residual spraying (IRS) is recommended for improving malaria vector control and managing insecticide resistance. A more diversified portfolio of IRS insecticides is required; insecticides with new chemistries which can provide improved and prolonged control of insecticide-resistant vector populations are urgently needed. Broflanilide is a newly discovered insecticide being considered for malaria vector control. We investigated the efficacy of a wettable powder (WP) formulation of broflanilide (VECTRON™ T500) for IRS on mud and cement wall substrates in WHO laboratory and experimental hut studies against pyrethroid-resistant malaria vectors in Benin, in comparison with pirimiphos-methyl CS (Actellic® 300CS). There was no evidence of cross-resistance to pyrethroids and broflanilide in CDC bottle bioassays. In laboratory cone bioassays, mortality of susceptible and pyrethroid-resistant A. gambiae s.l. with broflanilide WP treated substrates was >80% for 6-14 months. At application rates of 100mg/m 2 and 150 mg/m 2 , mortality of wild pyrethroid-resistant A. gambiae s.l. entering treated experimental huts in Covè, Benin was 57%-66% with broflanilide WP and did not differ significantly from pirimiphos-methyl CS (57-66% vs. 56%, P>0.05). Mosquito mortality did not differ between the two application rates and local wall substrate-types tested (P>0.05). Throughout the 6-month hut trial, monthly wall cone bioassay mortality on broflanilide WP treated hut walls remained >80% for both susceptible and resistant strains of A. gambiae s.l.. Broflanilide shows potential to significantly improve the control of malaria transmitted by pyrethroid-resistant mosquito vectors and would thus be a crucial addition to the current portfolio of IRS insecticides. One Sentence Summary VECTRON™ T500, a new wettable powder formulation of broflanilide developed for indoor residual spraying, showed high and prolonged activity against wild pyrethroid-resistant malaria vectors, on local wall substrates, in laboratory bioassays and experimental household settings in Benin.