JOIN USDiethyl Phenyl Acetamide (DEPA), the molecule developed by Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), was formally released as formulations for civilian use here on Thursday.
Jyothy Laboratories Ltd which was selected to manufacture the product handed over 50,000 units of the formulation which is being released under the brand ‘Maxo Military’ to State Health Minister P K Sreemathy at the General Hospital junction here.
DRDO director (technology acquisition) Dr S Radhakrishnan, G Elangovan, Chief Controller R & D, DRDO and Jyothy Labs Ltd managing director M P Ramachandran were among those present.
Later, at a news conference, the DRDO officials said that the new product when applied to the exposed body would repel mosquito for up to eight hours as against the two-hour life of those available in the market. The product has been tested for toxicology, safety and bio efficiency and will be available all over the country as a cream and “wet wipe’’ sachets.
The development of the molecule owed itself to constant requests from the soldiers who were always exposed to mosquitoes and other blood-sucking insects like leeches for an effective solution. It took two decades of research to develop the product which Jyothy Labs will also be releasing worldwide.
FICCI director Dr Nirankar Saxena said that the release of an exclusive defence product for civilian use is the result of an initiative led by DRDO and FICCI to make available spin-offs of defence technology to the civil society.Vinod C Menon, member, National Disaster Management Authority, was also present at the news meet.