ContraPest

ContraPest is a contraceptive pest control product designed to reduce fertility in brown and black rats, developed by the U.S. biotechnology company SenesTech.[1][2][3] It is a flavored liquid, designed to be attractive to, and to be consumed by, the target animals in order to reduce the population over time. ContraPest is a contraceptive, not a sterilant, so a continuous supply maintains reduced populations. [4] ContraPest was initially tested in Indonesian rice fields, South Carolina pig farms, the suburbs of Boston and the New York City subway, and caused a reduction in rat populations of roughly 40% over a period of 12 weeks. [1] The product was approved for commercial use by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in August 2016.[5]

History

The formula was originally used by Dr. Loretta Mayer and Dr. Cheryl Dyer as part of a research program to study heart disease in post-menopausal women through menopausal mice.[3] The active ingredient of ContraPest is the chemical 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide (VCD), which is a known killer of oocytes in immature ovarian follicles.[4][6][7][8] ContraPest also contains triptolide, which the company reports has adverse reproductive effects on both males and females.[1]

Deployment

Currently the city of Washington D.C. is utilizing a 5,000 unit, four-year supply of ContraPest for all eight wards of the city in an attempt to combat the rat population. [9]

References
  1. "Man v rat: could the long war soon be over?". The Guardian. 2016-09-20. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2016-09-21.
  2. Russo, Stephanie (2011-07-21). "Drug may revolutionize control of dog population". archive.azcentral.com. Retrieved 2016-09-21.
  3. "Loretta Mayer: Features - Executive Profile". Pest Control Technology. 2018-12-11. Retrieved 2019-03-07.
  4. "FAQ | Senestech". Retrieved 2019-03-07.
  5. "ContraPest Rodent Control Product Wins EPA Approval". Pest Control Technology, GIA Media, Inc. 12 August 2016. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
  6. Kappeler, Connie J.; Hoyer, Patricia B. (2012-02-01). "4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide: a model chemical for ovotoxicity". Systems Biology in Reproductive Medicine. 58 (1): 57–62. doi:10.3109/19396368.2011.648820. ISSN 1939-6376. PMC 3307534. PMID 22239082.
  7. Takai, Yasushi; Canning, Jacqueline; Perez, Gloria I.; Pru, James K.; Schlezinger, Jennifer J.; Sherr, David H.; Kolesnick, Richard N.; Yuan, Junying; Flavell, Richard A. (2003-01-01). "Bax, caspase-2, and caspase-3 are required for ovarian follicle loss caused by 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide exposure of female mice in vivo". Endocrinology. 144 (1): 69–74. doi:10.1210/en.2002-220814. ISSN 0013-7227. PMID 12488331.
  8. Hoyer, P. B.; Devine, P. J.; Hu, X.; Thompson, K. E.; Sipes, I. G. (2001-02-01). "Ovarian toxicity of 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide: a mechanistic model". Toxicologic Pathology. 29 (1): 91–99. doi:10.1080/019262301301418892. ISSN 0192-6233. PMID 11215690.
  9. "SenesTech Announces Largest Shipment of ContraPest Ever to Washington D.C." finance.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2019-03-08.


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