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Testimonials

Since Tri-Solfen® was commercially launched, over 150 million lambs have been treated and over 80% of Australian wool growers are now using Tri-Solfen for their sheep. Here’s what some of them have to say…

‘We have used pain relief for two years now and seen real production gains. We are concerned for the welfare of our animals and will continue to use pain relief to ensure they get the best care.’

Clinton Wise– Wililoo Merino Stud, Woodanilling, W.A.

'It easy to see the difference pain relief makes. Before, lambs would walk away hunched up, even taking a couple of hours to walk back to the paddock. Now they run straight back to Mum and start suckling,” says Rod. “My wool is now sold under the Better Choices brand. I see this as a definite advantage. I think it will be an advantage in the long run, to both me and the industry as a whole.'

Rod Miller– Glenpaen Merino Stud, Horsham, Vic

'After being treated with pain relief my lambs were more content and less stressed. As farmers we are sincere in looking after the welfare of our animals and using pain relief demonstrates this.'

Richard Coole– Frankland, W.A.

'We have been using pain relief for the past three years. We’re impressed by reduced bleeding in the mulesing wound immediately after application. Lambs run straight back to find the ewe, which has dramatically reduced our mortality rates. Flock management, post lamb marking is easier due to the effect of pain relief and the scab healing faster.'

Ryan & Malcom O’Dea– Peepingee Merino Stud, Narrogin, W.A.

'Using pain relief eases the stress and allows lambs to mother up and move back to the paddock easier with faster weight gains.'

Kent Lummis– Waverley Downs, Gilgandra, NSW

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Patent Portfolio

Country Species Patent
Australia Sheep Granted
Australia Horses, Dogs, Lab animals Granted
Australia Cattle Granted
Australia Humans Granted
New
Zealand
Sheep,
Cattle
Granted
New
Zealand
Horses, Dogs, Lab animals Granted
EU Humans Granted
EU Pig, Sheep,
Cattle
Granted
USA Dogs, Horses, Lab animals Granted
USA Humans Granted
USA Pig, Sheep,
Cattle
Granted
Canada Horses, Dogs, Lab animals Granted
Canada Cattle,
Pig
Granted
Canada Humans Granted

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Advisory Board

Ian Page

Non-Executive Director

Ian is Chief Executive Officer of Dechra Pharmaceuticals, which has a 33% shareholder in Medical Ethics. He joined National Veterinary Services, Dechra’s former services business in 1989 and joined the Board of Dechra in 1997. In October 2010, Ian was appointed as Non-Executive Chairman of Sanford DeLand Asset Management.

Dr Chris Roberts

Human Wound and Regulatory Advisor

Chris has over 20 years’ line management experience of heading clinical research teams. He was previously global head of Smith & Nephew clinical support and market development, where he managed global clinical Phase II and III programmes in the management of venous and pressure ulcers.

Lieutenant Colonel Professor Steven Jeffery

Medical Specialist Advisor

Steve has over 15 years’ experience in military plastic surgery. In 2011 he was awarded the Military Civilian Partnership Award for ‘Regular of the Year’, as well as receiving the Wounds UK ‘Key Contribution’ award and the Smith and Nephew ‘Customer Pioneer of the Year’ award. He has also been awarded Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of England ad eundum. He is an expert adviser to NICE Medical Technologies Evaluation Programme. Steve co-founded the Woundcare 4 Heroes charity, which is already making a big difference to the wound care of both serving and veteran personnel.

Dr Matthew Bayfield

Medical Specialist Scientific Director

Dr Matthew Bayfield, Head of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Strathfield Private Hospital and VMO Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.

Professor Peter Windsor

Veterinarian Research Advisor

Peter is a registered specialist veterinary surgeon in New South Wales and an emeritus Professor at Sydney University. He holds a BVSc (Hons), PhD, DVSc and diploma from the European College of Small Ruminant Health Management.

Dr Julian Braidwood

Global Regulatory Affairs Advisor

Julian has held leadership roles and managed international clinical projects with Grampian. He was previously Regulatory Affairs Manager at Novartis Animal Health. He is the Founder and Managing Director of Triveritas, where he is responsible for a team of 40 animal health specialists across the EU and the US.

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Australian firm to take pain relief product international

July 2, 2015

Australian firm to take pain relief product international, only three years after achieving a full registration. Tri-Solfen is used to treat pain in around seven million Australian lambs each year. Now, the product’s developer Animal Ethics aims to replicate its speedy uptake in the US and Europe. Animal Pharm editor Joseph Harvey spoke to the firm’s managing director at the VetHealth Global conference in Canada.

Earlier this month, Tri-Solfen became patented in the US – the next step in bringing pain relief to food-producing animals outside of Australia.

The product is a spray-on gel designed to alleviate pain related to dehorning, castration, tail docking and other procedures in a range of animals. It gives 24-hour topical analgesia to any open wound and is used by over 60% of the Australian merino sheep industry. Since its approval in 2012, it has been used on around 40 million lambs in Australia.

Not only does Tri-Solfen contain two topical local anesthetic agents (lignocaine and bupivicaine) to numb pain, it also includes a vasoconstrictor (adrenalin) to minimize bleeding and an antispetic (cetramide) to prevent wound infection – a high risk when performing procedures outdoors.

“The gel works on the animal’s nerve endings and slows the cascading effects of pain,” managing director Alan Giffard explained.

Tri-Solfen is currently authorized in Australia for use in sheep, however the product has pending domestic authorization in beef cattle, pigs, goats, alpacas and companion animals. The product is wholesaled through Henry Schein in Australia.

The US patent stands alongside protection in the Canada, EU and New Zealand markets. Animal Ethics is aiming to complete US approval in tandem with European authorization, while the firm aims to have the product on sale in New Zealand soon.

“The patents we have allow for additional active ingredients. In the future, there will be the opportunity to develop this for humans,” Mr Giffard suggested.

Tri-Solfen is the brainchild of Dr Meredith Sheil, one of the firm’s founders who developed the product using her experience as a pediatrician, cardiologist and a farmer.

Public pressure

Mr Giffard told Animal Pharm the product is designed to tie-in with a ‘mind-shift’ in public, retail and governmental awareness of animal welfare, due to the increasing humanization of animals.

Recently, US retail giant Walmart committed to uphold the humane treatment of farm animals as part of its meat supply. The third pillar of Walmart’s welfare strategy saw it aspire to ‘freedom from pain, injury or disease’ in its supply chain.

He said: “About 40 years ago, we didn’t realize babies felt pain in the same way adults do. We now know that is not the case. Likewise, animals feel pain in the same way. It is illegal to castrate dogs without pain relief – people are asking ‘why don’t we treat food animals for pain?’ This is the first and only practical and effective topical pain relief for animals. Nothing was used before.”

The success of the product in Australia stems from increasing local pressure from welfare groups and consumers to prevent pain during procedures like castration. Mr Giffard said this, coupled with farmers’ desire to uphold their animals’ welfare, led to an increasing uptake of Tri-Solfen.

The Australian Animal Welfare Strategy is a government initiative that guides the development of new, nationally consistent policies to enhance animal welfare arrangements in all of the country’s states and territories.

There are currently new animal welfare codes being written for sheep and cattle to replace legislation enacted in 2006. This will ensure desirable livestock welfare is compulsory.

Search for a partner

Animal Ethics is currently looking for a licensing partner amongst the international animal health community to help develop the product’s regulatory requirements and aid commercialization in international markets. The company has been funded to date by its founders, as well as the Australian Research Council.

Mr Giffard said the company is currently in talks with several interested parties regarding partnerships.  READ MORE