Long-lasting insect repellency
Chemist Stan Franssen, now lab director at Affix Labs, developed the chemical formula for their product together with Kaspar Koch (also a Radboud alumnus, now working elsewhere). “The main challenge was to find a way to ensure the insect repellent was released in a controlled manner, so that its effectiveness would last for up to twelve weeks. We found such a method and obtained a patent for it,” explains Stijn de Roover, CEO of Affix Labs.
“The substance we use isn’t new: it’s icaridin or picaridin, a substance that’s irritating to mosquitoes but not to humans or other animals. It’s also used in skin creams: you apply it, and then you’re free from insects for a few hours. We wanted to apply it to textiles and surfaces such as tables or countertops—and do so in a way that’s safe for pets or children, for example. We succeeded: the final product, Repeltec, does all of that.”
Patent Granted
What’s truly innovative about this product is its slow-release mechanism and long-lasting effectiveness. Affix Labs has obtained a patent for that discovery. “That innovation is now about three years old,” says De Roover. “The product is now ready for sale. That takes a lot of time: you first have to go through all sorts of registration processes. An important question, for example, is: how safe is it for insects? That might sound strange—after all, you want to control insects—but there are also many beneficial insects, and you certainly don’t want to drive them all away.
Let alone kill them: lethal pesticides are increasingly being restricted, especially in Europe. And what you also don’t want is to create immune insects, which is a major problem, especially in Africa.”
1 Million Investment
Applying for a patent, handling registrations: it takes a lot of time and money. And during this process, you can’t sell anything yet. So it’s no wonder that Affix Labs was very pleased with the 1 million euro investment they secured this spring. This will allow them to expand the distribution of Repeltec in Europe. In addition, the company is launching an option for existing companies to use the patented Affix Labs method in their own product lines under the name “Powered by Affix Labs.”
“As a startup, you really need an investment like this,” says De Roover. “So we’re very pleased that it worked out. The funding comes from VP Capital, a fund that invests in projects that contribute to—as they put it—a better world. OostNL, the development agency that co-invests in these types of projects with companies in the eastern part of the country, is also contributing.”
Future
Affix Labs is a research company and intends to remain one, according to De Roover, when asked about future plans. “We want to build on the patent we hold. There are other substances that traditionally evaporate quickly, meaning there are no long-term applications for them. We can do something about that, in a way that’s safe for people and animals. So if there are people interested in that, they should definitely get in touch.”
Science Park Nijmegen
Affix Labs is located at Science Park, the business park on the Radboud University campus. And for good reason, explains De Roover: “Here, we can make use of research facilities such as spectroanalysis machines. As a startup, we could never afford those ourselves, but fortunately, we can also rent research time. In addition, in collaboration with Radboud University and the HAN University of Applied Sciences, we also offer internships for students. We’re now looking into whether we can set up longer-term research projects together with the university. We were trained here ourselves and can help others grow, so for the forseeable future, we’re happy to stay here.’
Team picture from left to right: Stan Franssen, Tom Sam en Stijn de Roover.
