First infant formula made with immune-equivalent human milk proteins.
Helaina was founded in 2019 by food scientist and entrepreneur Laura Katz, who aspires to advance nutrition by recreating the functional components of human milk, starting with infant formula.
When it comes to breastfeeding, it’s estimated that only 11% of all mothers are able to exclusively breastfeed within the first six months of their infant’s life. Most mothers struggle with it at some point, while some parents cannot breastfeed their baby at all. Yet formula-fed infants are 280% more likely to suffer from infections.
Helaina is working on a better alternative to formula – one that is made with engineered human milk proteins through its proprietary yeast fermentation technology. The result is a formula that’s more easily digested, has a composition much closer to breast milk itself, and that introduces beneficial bacteria for a baby’s developing microbiome.