Fish product 'will net £4m a year'

Oban-based GlycoMar has found a way to turn bits of leftover salmon from the fish processing industry into a medicine for easing joint pain.

The Scottish firm will be working with Scanbio, a Norwegian animal and fish feed supplier, which has a Scottish base near Fort William.

The deal follows four years of research in GlycoMar's laboratories and small-scale trials at Scanbio's factories in Norway.

Dr Charlie Bavington, founder of the Scots firm, said: "We are very excited about this agreement, which is our first out- licensing deal in the nutritional sector.

"This is the outcome of several years' research in utilisation of fisheries by-products. We are particularly delighted to be collaborating with Scanbio, which we believe is the best partner to commercialise this technology."

Chris Jones, of Scanbio Scotland, added: "It will be the first product of its kind in the world to be made from a marine source."

Jones said he expected the as yet unnamed product will take about two years to bring to market. Financial terms were not disclosed.