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Helaina Masters Complex Protein Production, Achieving Metric-Tonnes-Scale for effera™ and Signaling New Era for Precision Fermentation
Company proves commercial-scale production of a large, complex human-equivalent protein, unlocking over 10 million servings per run and setting a new gold standard for the field.
NEW YORK, NY - July 21, 2025 - Helaina, the company pioneering human-compatible nutrition, today announced it has achieved a landmark production milestone, successfully scaling its manufacturing for effera™, the first bio-identical lactoferrin, to the metric tonnes level. Each production run now yields over 10 million efficacious servings, a scale that places Helaina among a select group of companies to master the commercial-scale production of a large and complex bioactive protein.
The achievement is more than a story of volume; it is one of engineering mastery. Lactoferrin is a highly complex glycoprotein, approximately four times larger than commodity proteins like beta-lactoglobulin. Producing such a molecule with precision outside the human body has long been a significant hurdle for the industry. Helaina’s breakthrough demonstrates that precision fermentation can move from theoretical promise to real-world impact, enabling the delivery of high-value, structurally complex proteins at industrial volumes.
“The promise of precision fermentation has always been clear, but the unspoken challenge was whether the technology could handle truly complex proteins in commercially impactful volumes,” said Laura Katz, Founder and CEO of Helaina. "This milestone proves that it can. We aren’t just making a simple molecule; we are producing one of nature’s most sophisticated proteins. This is next-generation nutrition, built for the human body, and ready for commercial markets.”
This production scale is fueling rapid adoption. In just the last six months, effera™ has been launched in six consumer products across categories including women’s health, digestive wellness, and active nutrition. Additional launches are in progress for later this year, with demand closely following the company's supply of bioactives.
effera™ is a bio-identical lactoferrin, a bioactive protein found in breast milk and colostrum that is essential for iron balance, immune function, gut health, and a healthy inflammatory response. Unlike animal-derived or animal-equivalent alternatives, effera™ is structurally functionally equivalent to the version naturally produced in the human body. This eliminates biological friction, improving tolerability and performance while offering a clinically supported alternative to bovine-based proteins.
“Consumers are looking for real innovation - ingredients that do more and work better,” Katz said. “By aligning with human biology instead of approximating it, we’re creating a new standard in nutrition. And now, we’re proving we can produce it in volumes to meet global demand, even with the most complex and valuable proteins.”
About Helaina
Helaina is an innovation platform for human-compatible nutrition. Using a proprietary precision fermentation process, Helaina translates the unseen intelligence of biology into a new class of bioactive proteins. The company is building a new nutritional standard that aligns with human biology to deliver next-level efficacy, safety, and trust.
About effera™
effera™ is the first bio-identical lactoferrin, a foundational protein for human health. Created through precision fermentation, effera™ is a high-purity, clinically studied ingredient that supports iron metabolism, immune health, and gut function - without the compromises of animal-derived proteins.
Media Contact:
Jonas Feliciano
Marketing & Data Insights Lead
jonas@myhelaina.com
(773) 957-9825