Photo/Illutration The ARS Mos Shooter, the mosquito repellent spray product developed jointly by Earth Corp. and Kao Corp., is scheduled for sale in Thailand in July. (Sawa Okabayashi)

Japanese drug maker Earth Corp. has begun collaborating with cosmetics maker Kao Corp. to find a way to prevent mosquito-borne infectious diseases such as dengue fever and malaria.

The Tokyo-based companies recently announced they have jointly developed a spray product that inhibits the flight of mosquitoes.

The product will be released for sale in Thailand in July.

Mosquito-borne infectious diseases have plagued mankind since ancient times.

Global warming and rapid urbanization have resulted in a sharp increase in cases of dengue fever around the world, most notably in Southeast Asia.

No vaccines or effective treatment drugs are available for dengue fever, so not being bitten is key, officials said.

Kao got interested in the issue and studied the ecology of mosquitoes.

The company developed a new technology to repel mosquitoes, which sprays a fine mist to inhibit their flight.

The technology that Kao unveiled in June last year uses an aqueous surfactant solution with low surface tension. When sprayed in the direction of mosquitoes, it wets their wings and bodies, making them unable to fly.

Earth operates businesses in Thailand that include the development and sale of bug repellent products.

Officials said the collaboration between the two companies originated in conversations at a social event, where Earth President Katsunori Kawabata told Kao President Yoshihiro Hasebe, “I am keeping an eye on the technology, which I find very interesting.”

Earth will take charge of selling the product in Thailand. There are no plans for it to go on sale in Japan for the time being, the officials added.

“Our priority is on dealing with a crisis of lives,” Hasebe said.

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