Helaina

Helaina™ is an innovation company using precision fermentation to create human bioactive compounds as ingredients for food and supplements for the first time. Helaina is focused on the components of human colostrum, the first milk produced by mothers. The company’s replicated human bioactive proteins precisely mirror their native counterparts for optimal absorption and effectiveness. This is a new approach to wellness with human-equivalent proteins as nutrients.

effera™ human lactoferrin is Helaina’s first ingredient. Lactoferrin is an iron-regulating protein that sequesters and releases iron, which translates into benefits such as:

● Supporting a balanced immune and inflammatory response*

● Supporting oxygen delivery to the muscles*

● Supporting a healthy gut function and microbiome*

effera™ human lactoferrin has potential applications across women’s health, active nutrition and healthy aging.

In 2024, Helaina conducted and published its first gold-standard clinical study published in The International Journal of Toxicology—a randomized, double-blind controlled study to measure the body’s response to effera™. This was the first-ever study to compare the immune impact of lactoferrin on the body, comparing bovine lactoferrin to human lactoferrin as effera™, which established the benefits of using human proteins.

The results of the study showed that participants taking bovine lactoferrin produced antibodies against the protein, suggesting an immunogenic response against bovine lactoferrin. Meanwhile, participants taking effera™, at both a high and low-doses, produced no antibodies against the protein, suggesting better tolerability of the ingredient

In addition, prior published findings in Nutrients evaluated the digestibility of bovine vs. effera™ human lactoferrin vs. human breast milk lactoferrin. The research indicated that effera™ survives digestion and has similar peptide release to lactoferrin in human breast milk. Both effera™ and breast milk lactoferrin remain structurally intact during digestion, whereas bovine lactoferrin breaks down in digestion very quickly. These findings indicate that effera™ is more similar to human lactoferrin vs. bovine lactoferrin regarding protein survival and peptide profiles, suggesting that it could better replicate the benefits of human lactoferrin compared to bovine lactoferrin.

effera™ is a versatile ingredient, allowing for easy integration into diverse product formats such as dietary supplements, functional foods and nutritional beverages. With exceptional purity, stability, and attributes such as non-GMO, and vegan, effera™ is a perfect fit for manufacturers seeking safe, efficacious ingredients.