Utah company has answer for 'super lice'

Recent outbreaks of “super lice” –– a form of mutated head lice that has developed resistance to over-the-counter treatments — have left parents scrambling for a cure around the country, according to recent reports from Fox News. But now, thanks to research conducted at the University of Utah, there is a solution. Called AirAlle, it’s a device resembling a portable hair dryer that dehydrates lice and their eggs using heated air that won’t burn the scalp or release any toxic chemicals.

“We guarantee our results,” said Claire Roberts, CEO of Larada Sciences of Salt Lake City, producer of the AirAlle. “We’ve done almost 200,000 treatments commercially worldwide with literally 100 percent satisfaction.”

Over-the-counter treatments are just not effective, particularly the two most widely used brands, Rid and Nix. They have a pesticide in them to which the lice have developed a resistance. But, “lice cannot become resistant to dehydration,” said Roberts. “It’s really a lifesaver for parents.

”The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta reported there are between 6 and 12 million cases of head lice every year among children 3 to 11 years old just in the United States. That leaves a lot of room for growth for Larada Sciences, according to Roberts. Incorporated in 2006, Larada Sciences is not well known by its corporate name, said Roberts.

However, consumers will recognize the name Lice Clinics of America because it is the name of the urgent care clinics where the treatment is professionally administered. “A true American success story,” said Roberts. The AirAlle device was invented at the University of Utah by a group of students led by professor Dr. Dale Clayton. The project saw its beginnings as “quite a lengthy research project,” Roberts added. “Ultimately, the UofU saw that this truly was a novel way [to get rid of lice], so they helped partner and form Larada Sciences,” Roberts said.

Larry Rigby, Randy Black and Clayton founded the company and raised money from Science Angels and other local investors to get the business running. Roberts said Larada Sciences continues to pay patent royalties for the university’s role in designing the product.Each Lice Clinics of America location is independently owned. Investors buy the right to open a clinic in a dedicated territory. Currently, there are 170 territories sold in the U.S. and a little more than 100 up and running. “We are selling clinics faster than we can get the clinics open,” said Roberts.

There are currently no clinics in Utah.The AirAlle device is loaned to the investor by Larada Sciences and the investor pays a per-treatment fee and provides the labor and all the other activities in the investor’s market to serve the consumers. “It’s a great entrepreneurial opportunity,” said Roberts. “Some own one clinic and some own six.”While Roberts said she has seen overwhelming results in response to the clinics, data shows over 90 percent of people think they need to go to a drugstore to find a lice treatment. “We know we are missing out on big part of population. Parents want to go somewhere where it is a safe haven, but if they can’t afford it. …” This is why Larada Sciences will soon launch the home version of the heated air machine — internationally, as well — according to Roberts.

There is a similar type of distribution model in 18 other countries in Europe and Latin America.Home treatment will cost about $75 compared to an average of $170 at a networked lice clinic and will include the device along with a couple of disposable tips necessary for each treatment, said Roberts. The tips that make contact with the lice will also be marketed separately to help lower the cost if more than one person would like to share the device. The consumer devices will initially be sold in the privately owned networks of lice clinics and online. Roberts said that schools will have the devices also. “In fact, some of the public in Salt Lake City will get a chance to test that product before they finally go to market with it,” she said. Speaking of the lack of lice clinics in Utah, Roberts said Larada Sciences is planning to open one of the revolutionary treatment centers in the Salt Lake City area soon.