Ensuring efficacy, quality and capacity building

Research and Development (R&D) and product quality testing are essential steps to bringing innovative products to market. Inter laboratory collaboration and close adherence to testing standards ensure that we develop and manufacture the highest quality tools backed by scientific evidence.

The Vestergaard Laboratories

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The Vestergaard Quality Control Lab, Hanoi, Vietnam

Created in 2002 to ensure high-quality, fast delivery and accurate results to PermaNet® and ZeroFly® production.

With chemical and textile labs located in each of Vestergaard’s two manufacturing sites in Vietnam, VQCL centralises the data generated and is the endpoint for all products before they are re-released for delivery. VQCL manages all quality steps of product manufacturing including process and product quality control. From long lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) to other insecticide treated materials such as screens, targets, traps, and storage bags, the laboratory tests a wide range of sample types of raw materials, semi-finished and finished products. VQCL also contributes to analyses required in R&D. Since 2009, VQCL is accredited by ISO/IEC 17025. All lab activities assure competence, impartiality, and consistent operation. VQCL conducts all testing per WHO requirements for LLINs and participates in the lab scale for development and evaluation methods for the analysis of pesticides, for physical and durability properties of fabrics organized by CIPAC, WHO-PQ, ISO, and ASTM.

Quality Services

  • Provide quality control & testing services following ISO/IEC 17025 and CIPAC guidelines
  • Offer free testing service of PermaNet® LLINs to external parties such as customers and institutes
  • Develop, conduct and validate testing methods applied to product, manufacture and scientific

Service Package

PermaNet® is designed to last at least 20 WHO standard washes and 3 years of field use. Under the PermaNet® service package, customers receive a free laboratory testing service. This service package includes an evaluation of insecticide content, bioavailability and assessment of fabric integrity. Service packages are also available for ZeroFly® for insecticidal content and fabric integrity.

Post-Market Surveillance

Post-market surveillance aims to monitor and ensure the safety and efficacy of the health products in use. Vestergaard operates a post-market surveillance program which covers sampling and testing of LLINs after distribution in the field to monitor and assess the insecticidal activity of the product in real use conditions. The PermaNet® service package is available free of charge to customers who wish to participate.

VQCL Staff

1 laboratory manager

2 textile technologists

3 textile technicians

1 chemistry technologist

8 chemistry technician analysts

2 laboratory technicians

1 Male
16 Female

Commitments & Quality Assurance Brochure
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The Vestergaard-Nogochi Memorial Institute for Medical Research Vector Labs

Established in November 2011 as a public-private partnership between Vestergaard and the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) to strengthen research and development of vector control tools and provide opportunities for knowledge sharing, capacity building, and collaboration.

In 2020, the lab processed 85 requests with a total of 966 samples and produced almost 60,000 mosquitoes for testing, focusing on standard WHO assays or tests to evaluate and monitor pyrethroid and non-pyrethroid products. Beyond the Vestergaard-NMIMR Vector Labs in Ghana, Vestergaard works with leading institutes in malaria-endemic countries throughout Sub-Saharan Africa on product testing and evaluation.

VNVL Services

  • Insectary with susceptible and insecticide resistant An. gambiae s.l. strains and the capacity to produce over one million mosquitoes per year.
  • Bioassay laboratory with the capacity to conduct testing of long lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) according to WHO protocols and tailored bioassays for testing new vector control tools. Susceptibility testing using WHO tube and CDC bottle assay protocols are also routinely conducted to monitor insectary colonies and wild mosquitoes.
  • Susceptibility testing using WHO tube and CDC bottle assay protocols are also routinely conducted for monitoring of insectary colonies and testing of wild mosquitoes.
  • Molecular laboratory equipped to identify mosquito species, and characterized insecticide resistance mechanisms, including target site and metabolic mechanisms. Also equipped to test for blood meal origin and the presence of Plasmodium sporozoites.
  • Tailored training in malaria entomology with the capacity to host local and international research projects.

Collaboration

VNVL functions in partnership with NMIMR, including collaborations with research fellows within the Department of Parasitology and Immunology. Recent university graduates are also posted to VNVL through Ghana’s National Service Scheme. Together with NMIMR, VNVL has played a key role in the monitoring of insecticide resistance in malaria vectors under Ghana’s National Insecticide Resistance Monitoring Partnership (NIRMOP). In addition to the core collaboration with NMIMR, VNVL collaborates globally with other academic institutions and vector control stakeholders worldwide. VNVL offers collaborators high insectary capacity and bioassay testing capabilities for both laboratory and field based trials.

VNVL Staff

1 Chief Research Assistant

10 Research Assistants

1 Administrative Assistant

2 Support staff

Vestergaard-NMIMR Vector Labs brochure

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