A chubby yellow frog, which resembles the famous Faberge egg, may hold the key to a surgical glue potentially worth billions of dollars.

After six years of study, scientists say they are on the verge of a breakthrough in cloning the sticky secretions of the Notaden frog to produce an adhesive for flesh and internal wounds, the Sunday Mail reports.



First discovered by accident by Adelaide frog expert Mike Tyler, the fast-drying “frog glue” is non-toxic and could revolutionise the way wounds heal.



As part of research with the CSIRO, six of the frogs otherwise known as the “Holy Cross” toad because of a black crucifix on its back are being “milked” once a month by Prof Tyler.



This involves giving the frogs a mild electric shock, scraping the substance from their backs, then freighting samples on ice to laboratories in Sydney.



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