Oxitec

Oxitec's core technology, known as the self-limiting gene platform or "Friendly™" technology, involves engineering male insects to carry a specific gene. When these modified males are released and mate with wild females, their female offspring inherit the gene, which prevents them from surviving to adulthood. This leads to a targeted reduction in the pest population, as only females bite and transmit diseases. The technology is designed to be species-specific, non-toxic, and environmentally sustainable, as the self-limiting gene does not persist in the ecosystem. Another platform, Sparks™, utilizes Wolbachia technology to reduce dengue transmission.

The company's business model has evolved from being purely a biotech firm to a solutions provider that sells directly to governments, businesses, and consumers. In Brazil, Oxitec launched a direct-to-consumer product consisting of a box containing male mosquito eggs; the customer just adds water to begin the process. This approach targets diseases like dengue fever, Zika, and chikungunya, which are spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. Oxitec generates revenue through these sales and through partnerships with governments and corporate clients. The company was acquired by US-based Intrexon Corporation in 2015 for $160 million and then by Third Security in early 2020. It has also received funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Oxitec has conducted numerous field trials and received regulatory approvals in several countries, including Brazil and the United States. The first trials were performed in the Cayman Islands in 2009. Subsequent successful trials and deployments have taken place in Brazil, Panama, and the US, demonstrating significant reductions in local mosquito populations. The company has received commercial biosafety approval in Brazil and approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for pilot projects in Florida and California.