Helaina’s precision fermentation platform replicates an equivalent protein to the lactoferrin found in human colostrum and maternal milk.
“It’s an immune protein. So its role in the body is to bind and transport iron. And so that sounds like a really simple mechanism, but what that allows lactoferrin to do when we see it in our body is help to take that iron away from the things that infect us. That's kind of how it functions as an immune protein. It also helps to provide the right environment for good bacteria in our gut. It also aids in overall cognition. So it plays this role from our immune system to our gut, to our brain, and it is really multifunctional in its capacity.
“So what we've done at Helaina is replicate lactoferrin, human lactoferrin, through this ingredient, effera, which we're bringing to market right now, really focusing on women's health, where iron is quite critical, focusing on active nutrition as well as healthy aging,” said Laura Katz, founder and CEO Helena.
Lactoferrin’s ability to optimize iron levels plays a key role in these functional areas and initiates a range of other functional properties, including fueling cellular energy and oxygen to the muscles.
Katz also explained that Helaina ran a randomized double-blind controlled study to measure the body’s responses to effera. The study found that participants taking bovine lactoferrin produced antibodies against the protein, suggesting an immunogenic response against bovine lactoferrin. The study also showed that participants taking effera at both a high and low-dose produced no antibodies against the protein, indicating the ingredient is well-tolerated.
“We are starting to see with real clinical evidence and science-backed research that human proteins can outperform bovine milk protein, opening a new world where our nutrients can do more for us,” said Katz. “This exciting new discovery fosters our goal of developing a portfolio of advanced human bioactive proteins that address real health needs and new possibilities in nutrition science.”
Looking ahead, Katz said next steps for Helaina involve leveraging the platform to develop additional proteins and conduct more research to explore the functionality of human proteins.
To hear more on the science behind effera and why Katz calls this research just “the tip of the iceberg,” watch the full interview.
