AtlanTick Repellent Products: Innovation partners with science
Sunday, September 1, 2019
In 2019, the threat of Lyme Disease in Nova Scotia has jumped to its highest category ever for most of the province. Blacklegged ticks, which spread the disease, are expanding their territory steadily and swiftly.
AtlanTick Repellent Products, based in Mahone Bay, sells a variety of tick safety products online and in retail stores. The company’s website also offers free information on prevention and proper tick removal.
“Some natural products on the market make claims that aren’t scientifically proven,” says Nancy Thompson, VP Operations. ‘Buyers want evidence, especially when it comes to something like preventing tick-borne disease.”
AtlanTick has developed a natural tick repellant that is undergoing federal testing by Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency. The company hopes for federal approval in time for next year’s tick season.
“Innovation is the defining feature behind our spray,” says Thompson and NSBI’s Productivity and Innovation Voucher Program (PIVP) has enabled AtlanTick to work with Acadia University for that very reason.
“We’ve been able to access that program to test our original formulas and find the one that worked best, then again to improve on that formula to create a natural repellant that’s 97.5% effective – that’s the one that’s with the federal regulators now and is not yet available for sale.”
The company has been approved for a third round of PIVP support to develop different applications for the formula. “We’re still accessing that support to help us grow and contribute to research into Lyme disease,” she says. “The Acadia researchers are learning more about ticks with this work.”
Being able to access R&D resources at Acadia has been pivotal to the success of the company, she adds. “Without the science, which differentiates us from everybody else, we wouldn’t be where we are right now.”
"We’re grateful for the support, because it means we can grow. It means people value what we’re doing.”
NSBI’s Export Growth Program and Trade Market Intelligence have also been invaluable, Thompson says. “NSBI people have been helpful and kind. We’re grateful for the support, because it means we can grow. It means people value what we’re doing.”