Anatara seeking partners as LSQ finds one

Fittingly for the week of the BIO International Convention, two Australian biotech organisations have announced plans covering international collaborations.

Anatara Lifesciences used this week’s event to pursue distribution and development partners for Detach, its new non-antibiotic treatment for diarrhoea.

The company is pursuing commercialisation for the product in pigs first and subsequently plans to expand its use to other livestock and develop the treatment for use in humans.

Detach works by stopping bacteria from attaching to the lining of the intestine, as well as blocking the action of their toxins.

Anatara CEO Dr David Venables said there is a strong market opportunity for Detach in light of growing consumer demand for antibiotic-free food and concerns over antibiotic-resistant “superbugs”.

“The World Health Organization has warned that antimicrobial resistance is a significant looming threat to human health and authorities are now moving to tackle the issue by limiting the use of antibiotics in animal agriculture,” he said.

On the eve of the conference, industry peak body Life Sciences Queensland meanwhile signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with biotech accelerator Bioindustrial Innovation Canada, agreeing to collaborate on the international commercialisation of new technologies.

The MoU calls for collaboration on areas including composites, chemicals from sugars and lignin-based materials. It covers sharing of knowledge, organising seminars and conferences, attracting new talent and developing joint educational programs.

Life Sciences Queensland CEO Mario Pennisi said the collaboration plays to the strengths of Queensland’s location.

“Northern Australia’s tropical climate lends itself to the development of high-productivity biomass crops,” he said. “This, along with our strategic location in the Indo-Pacific region, makes us an ideal partner for technology developers in Canada who wish to engage this region.”