As a boy growing up in Nigeria, Hogan Bassey contracted malaria several times. The mosquito-borne disease, caused by a parasite, often causes fever, chills and other flu-like symptoms. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2015, over 200 million cases of malaria occurred worldwide and 438,000 people died, mostly children in the African region.

Today, Bassey is the CEO and co-founder of Livful, a Suwannee, GA-based biotech company focused on creating and delivering products that save lives and transform communities. Livful is working to eliminate deaths from preventable illnesses, starting with mosquito and bacteria-borne diseases, and this year the company is launching insect repellent wipes to meet this goal.

Back in Nigeria, mosquito nets and traditional treatments did very little to protect Bassey from the pain and suffering that came as a result of the disease, he recalls. “I was tired of living in fear of malaria, so when I was 10 years old, I gathered a few chemicals I found at home and mixed up a batch of mosquito repellent in our bathtub,” he says. “My homemade repellent worked—a little. I think my best discovery was finding a passion for problem-solving and helping people avoid suffering so they could live a full and happy life.”

While his experiment as a child may not have been the best method to fight off bugs, his passion and curiosity led to the creation of non-toxic, DEET-free mosquito repellent. Akiva combines the chemical ingredient IR3535 with a patented micro-encapsulation technology that allows the repellent to stay on the skin where it can guard against mosquito, fly, tick and other insect bites. Although Akiva doesn’t prevent all bacteria-borne illnesses, Bassey says it’s a significant step in guarding against some of the most common, painful and potentially deadly diseases.

Two varieties of wipes were developed from the formulation—Akiva All-Day and Akiva Bio-Repellent. The lightly-scented All-Day wipes offer up to 16 hours of non-toxic protection, and features an antiseptic agent to sanitize, aloe vera with a light lotion feel and is sweat resistant. Meanwhile, Akiva Bio-Repellent wipes were made for those with active outdoor lifestyles. The non-toxic fragrance-free option offers up to eight hours of protection from mosquitos and offers a pleasant feel without excess moisture.

While Akiva was developed as a lotion, Livful considered wipes as a delivery method for the solution from the beginning. “Wipes offer distinct advantages,” Bassey says. “We know wipes are a part of the personal hygiene practice for people all over the world. People can actually see and feel them working.”

In the works for over four years, Akiva will first launch in the Bahamas in March, and will be available in New Zealand and Brazil later this year. The wipes will be sold in packs of 10 as well as a single sachet wipe.