Industrial Biotechnology Corporation (IBC) has acquired Bio-Repellant Technologies (BRT), a wholly owned subsidiary of UTEK Corporation, in a stock transaction.
BRT holds the worldwide exclusive license for the use of vetiver oil extracts and derivatives as insect repellents and toxicants. Many soaps, perfumes and after-shave products include vetiver oil as an active ingredient. Nootkatone, one of the 300 components of vetiver oil, is also used to aromatize drinks with its distinctive grapefruit flavour.
Leading researchers at the LSU AgCenter department of entomology department have discovered that these eco-friendly compounds are a natural remedy against termites, ants, ticks and cockroaches.
"The results of our work shows that these compounds are able to disrupt termite behaviour and physiology," Dr. Gregg Henderson, one of the inventors of the patented and patent pending technology developed at the LSU AgCenter in Baton Rouge said adding, "Ingestion of wood treated with vetiver oil or nootkatone causes the progressive death of the protozoa living inside the termite gut. Killing these symbiont micro organisms, on which these insects rely for the digestion of their wooden food, would mean a progressive decline of a termite colony."
Andy Badolato, CEO of IBC, stated, "We are very enthusiastic about the commercial potential of this new discovery and the numerous products that can be developed. By combining our designer enzyme technology and the ability to produce low cost nootkatone, this research may provide the natural pesticide marketplace with a low cost, environmentally safe solution against insects. We will seek to leverage the distribution and marketing strength of targeted consumer products and pesticide corporations globally to get to market quickly. It will provide them a distinct competitive advantage and potentially provide IBC with multiple product revenue streams."