Nestlé and Helaina partner to study bioactive proteins for infant nutrition

Nestlé and US biotech company Helaina have formed a strategic innovation collaboration to advance scientific understanding of bioactive proteins and their potential role in early-life nutrition.

• Nestlé and Helaina formed a multi-year strategic innovation collaboration focused on early-life nutrition.
• The partnership combined Nestlé’s nutrition science expertise with Helaina’s biotechnology capabilities.
• The collaboration focused on bioactive proteins and their role in early-life development.

The multi-year partnership brought together Nestlé’s expertise in early-life nutrition, product development and nutrition science with Helaina’s biotechnology platform. The companies reported that the collaboration focused on understanding new bioactive proteins and their role in early-life development.

The work formed part of Nestlé’s wider effort to translate scientific insights into science-based nutritional solutions designed to support specific health benefits. Nestlé described the partnership as part of its open innovation strategy, which seeks to deepen scientific understanding while providing access to emerging technologies.

“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,” said Isabelle Bureau-Franz, Head of the Nestlé Product Technology Center for Nutrition & Health. “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.”

Helaina, based in the USA, develops bioactive proteins using biotechnology. The company’s work centers on manufacturing these proteins at scale and supporting their use with clinical credibility.

“We believe new bioactive proteins present a significant innovation in nutrition right now,” said Laura Katz, Founder and CEO of Helaina. “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 has more than 30 years of research experience in human milk oligosaccharides and bioactives. The company has continued to invest in maternal and infant nutrition research, using advanced analytics and nutrition science to develop science-backed products.

The collaboration with Helaina added a biotechnology partner to that research base, with the companies aiming to explore how emerging bioactive proteins could support future innovation in infant nutrition.