(12) INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT) (19) World Intellectual Property Organization International Bureau (10) International Publication Number (43) International Publication Date WO 2015/106266 Al 16 July 2015 (16.07.2015) W P O P C T (51) International Patent Classification: (81) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every A01N 25/00 (2006.01) kind of national protection available): AE, AG, AL, AM, AO, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BH, BN, BR, BW, BY, (21) International Application Number: BZ, CA, CH, CL, CN, CO, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DK, DM, PCT/US2015/01 1193 DO, DZ, EC, EE, EG, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, GT, (22) International Filing Date: HN, HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, IR, IS, JP, KE, KG, KN, KP, KR, 13 January 2015 (13.01 .2015) KZ, LA, LC, LK, LR, LS, LU, LY, MA, MD, ME, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MY, MZ, NA, NG, NI, NO, NZ, OM, (25) Filing Language: English PA, PE, PG, PH, PL, PT, QA, RO, RS, RU, RW, SA, SC, (26) Publication Language: English SD, SE, SG, SK, SL, SM, ST, SV, SY, TH, TJ, TM, TN, TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, US, UZ, VC, VN, ZA, ZM, ZW. (30) Priority Data: 61/926,546 13 January 2014 (13.01.2014) US (84) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every 62/042,524 27 August 2014 (27.08.2014) US kind of regional protection available): ARIPO (BW, GH, 62/043,529 29 August 2014 (29.08.2014) us GM, KE, LR, LS, MW, MZ, NA, RW, SD, SL, ST, SZ, 62/083,55 1 24 November 2014 (24. 11.2014) us TZ, UG, ZM, ZW), Eurasian (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, RU, 14/595,718 13 January 2015 (13.01.2015) us TJ, TM), European (AL, AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, LT, LU, (71) Applicant: ARKION LIFE SCIENCES, LLC [US/US]; LV, MC, MK, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SI, SK, 55 1 Mews Drive, Suite J, New Castle, DE 19720 (US). SM, TR), OAPI (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GQ, GW, KM, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG). (72) Inventors: BALLINGER, Kenneth, E., Jr.; 448 Larkspur Drive, Kennett Square, PA 19348 (US). WERNER, Scott, Published: John; 7396 View Pointe Circle, Wellington, CO 80521 — with international search report (Art. 21(3)) (US). (74) Agents: KRIKELIS, Basil, S. et al; Mccarter & English, LLP, Renaissance Centre, 405 N. King Street, 8th Floor, Wilmington, DE 19801 (US). (54) Title: METHOD FOR REPELLING RODENTS 100 a ω ¾ 60 CL, 6D S 0.5% 1.0% 2.0% 3.0% 4.0% o Anthraquinone (wt/wt) (57) Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the use of polycyclic quinones, and particularly, anthraquinones, to non-lethally re- © pel rodents from consuming or otherwise damaging vegetation, private property, man-made structures, or agricultural products in the field and in storage. Further, the invention shows use as a protection strategy for various other products used as a food source by cer - Q tain rodents. METHOD FOR REPELLING RODENTS Field of the Technology [0001] The invention is directed to the novel discovery that polycyclic quinones, such as anthraquinones, and specifically the 9,10 anthraquinone family of compounds, are selective, non-lethal rodent repellents. More particularly, this invention is directed to the feature that polycyclic quinones are particularly effective in repelling certain rodents from consuming or otherwise damaging agricultural products, crops, vegetation, and man-made structures. Background [0002] Rodents can be a real annoyance and even a danger. These uninvited creatures consume everything, from vegetables to breadcrumbs, spreading bacteria and pathogens in the process. Rodents also cause major damage to stored crops and agricultural infrastructure. In areas where natural predators no longer occur, they become bold enough to venture out into orchards where they consume and carry away surprising quantities of crops. [0003] They contaminate food and frequented areas with feces, urine, and hair. They carry diseases, such as spirochetal jaundice and murine typhus. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Worldwide, rats and mice spread over 35 diseases. These diseases can be spread to humans directly, through handling of rodents, through contact with rodent feces, urine, or saliva, or through rodent bites. Diseases carried by rodents can also be spread to humans indirectly through ticks, mites or fleas that have fed on an infected rodent. [0004] Getting rid of rodents can be a nuisance as well, to the earth, and to the health and safety of the indoor environment. Repellents may be used to non-lethally deter offending rodents. Current agronomic practices using exclusion such as wire fencing is limited in effectiveness and is expensive to apply. Poison bait is effective but limited to the area in which it is used and restricted in application because of non-target lethal effects. Both natural and chemical-based repellents are commercially available and vary in effectiveness. The smells of some plants, such as eucalyptus, wormwood and mint, are unattractive to rodents. However, they usually are minimally effective in repelling rodents. [0005] Sound-based repellents are capable of emitting sound at a register too high for humans to recognize. These sounds are thought to be disconcerting to rodents and are intended to prevent them from infesting the area around them. However, sound-based repellents have shown limited effectiveness. [0006] Repellents generally work by taking advantage of an animal's natural aversion to something, and often the thing chosen is something that the animal has learned to avoid (or instinctively avoids) in its natural environment. Chemical repellents mimic natural substances that repel or deter animals, or they are designed to be so irritating to a specific animal or type of animal that the targeted animal will avoid the protected object or area. Some chemical repellents combine both principles. Repellents fall into two main categories, odor and taste. [0007] There remains a continued need for a reliable and economical method to non- lethally deter rodents from visiting uninvited locations or otherwise becoming a nuisance in such manner that neither the environment nor the rodents are harmed. Summary of the Invention [0008] The present invention relates to a method for repelling rodents wherein the method comprises applying an effective amount of a polycyclic quinone to a substrate, whereby the effective amount of said composition results in 15% - 85% rodent repellency from said surface. [0009] The present invention relates to a method for repelling rodents wherein the method comprises applying an effective amount of a polycyclic quinone to a substrate, wherein the effective amount of polycyclic quinone is from about 0.5% to about 10% by weight of the substrate. [0010] The present invention relates to a method for repelling rodents wherein the method comprises applying an effective amount of a polycyclic quinone to a substrate, wherein the polycyclic quinone is applied by application of about 5 pounds to about 40 pounds of polycyclic quinone per acre. [001 1] The present invention relates to a method for repelling rodents wherein the method comprises applying an effective amount of a polycyclic quinone to a substrate, wherein the polycyclic quinone is applied at a level ranging from 200 - 2000 grams / sq. meter. Brief Description of the Drawings [0012] FIGURE 1 is a bar graph depicting rodent repellency during a concentration- response experiment with black-tailed prairie dogs offered corn seeds treated with 0.5-4% anthraquinone set forth in Example 1. [001 3] FIGURE 2 is a bar graph depicting rodent repellency during a concentration- response experiment with California voles offered oats treated with 0.5—2% anthraquinone set forth in Example 2. [0014] FIGURE 3 is a bar graph depicting rodent repellency during a concentration- response experiment with Richardson's ground squirrels offered oats treated with 0.5-2% anthraquinone set forth in Example 3. [0015] FIGURE 4 is a bar graph depicting rodent repellency during a concentration- response experiment with deer mice offered oats treated with 0.25-2% anthraquinone set forth in Example 5. Detailed Description [0016] The useful application of this invention is in providing a non-toxic substance that protects valuable agricultural products. In a preferred embodiment, the disclosure is directed to the use of polycyclic quinone based repellents, and in particular, an anthraquinone-based rodent repellent (Avipel ®, a.i. 50% 9,10-anthraquinone; Arkion Life Sciences, New Castle, DE). These inventive repellents can be used at a concentration range of 0.5% -10% or greater by weight of polycyclic quinone, and any ranges in between. In a further preferred embodiment, the concentration range of polycyclic quinone is 0.5-4%, 0.5-3%, 0.5-2%, 0.5- 1%, 1-5%, 1-4%, 1-3%, 1-2%, 1-10%, 2-10%, 3%-10%, 4%-10%, 5%-10%, 6%-10%, 7%- 10%, 8%-10% or 9%-10% by weight of polycyclic quinone. [00 17] It was found that repellent compositions containing polycyclic quinones can provide at least or more than about 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 9%, 20%, 21%, 22%, 23%, 24%, 25%, 26%, 27%, 28%, 29%, 30%, 31%, 32%, 33%, 34%, 35%, 36%, 37%, 38%, 38%, 40%, 41%, 42%, 43%, 44%, 45%, 46%, 47%, 48%, 49%, 50%, 51%, 52%, 53%, 54%, 55%, 56%, 57%, 58%, 59%, 60%, 61%, 62%, 63%, 64%, 65%, 66%, 67%, 68%, 69%, 70%, 71%, 72%, 73%, 74%, 75%, 76%, 77%, 78%, 79%, 80%, 81%, 82%, 83%, 84%, or 85% repellency. These values can also be used to form ranges, such as, for example, from about 15% to about 85%> repellency, with preferred ranges for particular rodent families ranging from about 20- 50%; 25-40%; 40-55%; and 55-85%.