In brief
- Nestlé and the US-based biotech company Helaina have formed a strategic innovation collaboration.
- The partnership combines Nestlé's nutrition science expertise with Helaina's biotech capabilities.
- The multi-year effort aims to advance scientific understanding and support new opportunities in infant nutrition.
Nestlé and the US-based biotech company Helaina have formed a strategic innovation collaboration. It brings together Nestlé's extensive expertise in early‑life nutrition and product development with Helaina's biotechnology capabilities.
The multi-year partnership focuses on understanding new bioactive proteins and their role in early‑life development. This work contributes to Nestlé's ongoing efforts to translate scientific insights into science‑based nutritional solutions that unlock specific health benefits.
Isabelle Bureau‑Franz, Head of the Nestlé Product Technology Center for Nutrition & Health, said: "Nestlé has always been at the forefront of advancing scientific knowledge on key nutrients and bioactives that are important during early life, including their interactions with the gut microbiome and the immune system. Collaborations with external partners such as Helaina, form an integral part of our broader open innovation strategy to deepen scientific understanding in this field, while gaining access to emerging technologies."
Laura Katz, Founder and CEO of Helaina, added: "We believe new bioactive proteins present a significant innovation in nutrition right now. At Helaina, we're focused on manufacturing these bioactives at scale with clinical credibility and together with Nestlé we can uncover new developments that advance early-life nutrition."
Nestlé is a pioneer in the development of science‑based solutions for early‑life nutrition, including more than 30 years of research in human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) and bioactives. The company leverages deep scientific expertise and advanced analytics to translate the latest scientific insights into robust, science‑backed nutritional solutions and sustained investment in maternal and infant nutrition research.
About Helaina
Founded in 2019 by food scientist Laura Katz, Helaina is a nutrition biotechnology company on a mission to unlock the innate power of human biology. Helaina's first ingredient, effera®, is the world's first human-identical lactoferrin: a high-purity, clinically studied bioactive that supports iron balance, immune function, and gut health, with superior bioavailability to cow-based alternatives.
To learn more, visit Helaina website
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