Anatara aims to launch its much-delayed pig-poo drug next year in Australia

ANATARA is hoping its delayed-pig diarrhoea treatment will be on Aussie market next year – and it’s even developed a new dosage gun to help boost sales.

Anatara is hoping its delayed pig diarrhoea treatment will be on the Australian market next year.

ANATARA is hoping its delayed-pig diarrhoea treatment will be on the Australian market next year – and it’s even developed a new dosage gun to help boost sales.

“We’re all set to launch in Australia,” Anatara chairman Mel Bridges told investors at the Brisbane-based company’s annual general meeting last week.

The company has a submission with Australian regulators for its product and Mr Bridges said dealings with bureaucrats had gone smoothly with no red flags raised.

Anatara uses a substance derived from pineapples to help stop diarrhoea in pigs, and is marketing the substance as an alternative to antibiotics.

The company has missed a couple of milestones for when the product would be released – the initial aim was mid 2016.

Delays are common in the sector, and Mr Bridges said factors behind Anatara’s missed timelines included some issues with trials and the reformulation of the substance taking longer than expected.

Anatara’s dispensing device.

The company has developed a special gun for squirting their treatment into piglets. Typical dispensers would clog, said Mr Bridges, so Anatara has developed a branded device and “we’re very confident … that it won’t jam”.

The company has $9.6 million. “That will allow us to execute,” Mr Bridges said.

He said Anatara’s year included commencing negotiations with animal-drug giant Zoetis for worldwide development, distribution and marketing of their drug. The company is also aiming for human trials to begin in the final quarter of 2018.

But the current focus was on pork, he said.

Anatara shares closed at $1.515 on Friday. They have moved between 97c and $1.80 in the past 12 months.