Vita (Europe) Limited is a specialist
company in Research & Development of new products
for honeybee health and we currently have five projects
underway. It was particularly rewarding to receive, despite
stiff competition, National awards for two of these projects.
These awards were made by the British Government - via
DEFRA and Dti respectively — and are more than
a pat on the back. They include a contribution to research
funding which provides some relief towards the escalating
costs of development of veterinary pharmaceutical products.
A near natural acaricide originally derived from plant
sap. It has unique anti-mite properties while being of
very low risk to other organisms. This substance is currently
used as an additive in human food, which is an indication
of its safety to man. Vita was recently awarded a grant
from the Department of Trade and Industry to help develop
a regulatory database for this substance.
Vita (Europe) Limited has a research project underway
developing a full veterinary pharmaceutical database
for the molecule and formulations referred to under
the mark VITASOL.
The first target species to be identified and investigated
was the varroa mite on bees; subsequently Vita (Europe)
Limited instigated a series of laboratory trials to determine
the spectrum of activity of Vitasol. Through a step by
step investigation we have been able to build up a target
efficacy profile for Vitasol which Vita intend exploiting
by developing own brand products for distribution and
sale via our own worldwide Distributor network or, by
establishing appropriate partnerships with major players
in the target area.
STORAGE MITE, PARASITIC MITE AND OTHER TARGETS:
| Storage Mites: |
Tyrophagous putrescentiae |
Tested |
Good efficacy |
| Acarus siro |
Tested |
Good efficacy |
| House Dust Mite: |
Dermatophagoides spp |
Tested |
Good efficacy |
| Bee Mites: |
Varroa destructor |
Tested |
Good efficacy |
| Acarapis woodii |
|
|
| Cattle/Pig mites: |
Chorioptes bovis/suni |
|
|
| Poultry Mites: |
Dermanyssus gallinae |
Tested |
Good efficacy |
| Ornithonyssus sylviarum |
|
|
Toxicological studies are well in hand. Formulation
work is also underway.
