Perth's latest animal health offering names chairman

Perth-based Stirling Products (ASX:STI) -- which debuted on the stock exchange last month via a backdoor listing -- has appointed London-based pharmacologist Prof Clive Page as non-executive chairman.

Page is currently a director of the Sackler Institute of Pulmonary Pharmacology at Kings College, London and an expert in the pharmacology of respiratory and inflammatory disorders. He has also served as a non-executive Director of Vancouver-based cardiac-specialist Cardiome.

Stirling is commercialising a patented molecule, STA-810, to enhance growth in cows, pigs, lambs, poultry and fish. STA-810 mimics the hormone adrenaline, acting on beta-2 receptors in the muscles and liver and stimulating the animal to store energy as protein rather than as fat.

"Basically, we describe it as 'more meat, less fat'," said managing director Calvin London from Perth yesterday. "From the farmer's point of view this will mean much greater feed efficiency."

According to London, Stirling was created around the intellectual property rights for the STA-810 molecule, acquired from a US company, Bridge Pharma. Bridge also sold the rights for human use of the drug to Sepracor and the resulting asthma medication, Xopanex, is already on the market.

London believes that the great advantage of STA-810 is its ability to stimulate only beta-2 receptors in animals. "Currently there are products on the market that are affect beta-1 and beta-2 receptors -- our molecule only targets the beta-2 receptors. Just stimulating beta-2 receptors may mean decreased side-effects as beta-1 agonists are associated with increased heart rate."

STA-810 can be so specific because it is a pure 'single enantiomer' molecule, rather than a mix of right and left-handed enantiomers as is the case with other beta-agonist drugs.

London acknowledges that Perth has become a hot-spot for animal research but sees Stirling's technology as complementary to other animal products in development. "People compare us to Chemeq and Imugene, and yes, we're in related areas," he said. "Chemeq's product modifies the microbial flora, Imugene modifies the immune response. Both aim to improve animal health so that they feed more effectively".

Although the company is Australia-based, clinical trials will be spread across the globe, with trials for different animals being conducted in South Africa, the US and Australia. "Our ultimate aim is to get [our product] approved for use in the United States," said London. As for when: "It's really difficult to predict...within the next 2-3 years is possible."

Stirling shares closed yesterday up 1.5c at AUD$0.335.