EcoScience Corp. has completed a licensing and distributionagreement for its cockroach biocontrol product with RousselBio Corp. of Englewood Cliffs, N.J.

Roussel, a subsidiary of France-based Roussel Uclaf, will haveexclusive distribution rights in the United States. EcoScienceof Amherst, Mass., will receive sales royalties.

The product is based on a naturally occurring soil fungus,Metarhizium anisopliae, that kills roaches. Once a roachbecomes infected, it serves as a host, spreading the fungus toother roaches in its colony.

The product is being reviewed by the Environmental ProtectionAgency, and the company anticipates full registration late thisyear or early in 1992.

EcoScience, which develops products based on naturallyoccurring microorganisms, estimates the world market forcockroach control products at more than $560 million at themanufacturer's level.

EcoScience expects patents to issue within the next twomonths on insect pathogenic fungi in the company's deliverysystem, said James Wylie Jr., president and chief executiveofficer. Unlike conventional bait stations, which require theroach to eat a chemical pesticide, the EcoScience product onlyrequires the roach to touch the fungus to become infected. --Karen Bernstein

(c) 1997 American Health Consultants. All rights reserved.