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Danish bioproduction company 21st.Bio has launched a new development programme to commercialise bovine alpha-lactalbumin (α-lac) using precision fermentation, following an exclusive licensing agreement with Novonesis for a high-yield microbial strain.

Alpha-lactalbumin, a milk protein rich in essential amino acids, is known for its digestibility and its role in supporting immune and cognitive development. Bovine α-lac is currently used in infant nutrition, functional food and health-focused applications.

21st.Bio is currently working to commercialise a precision-fermented version of the protein, using a microbial strain developed by Novonesis. The company is optimising the strain for industrial fermentation and large-scale production, with the aim of making the alternative more cost-competitive with traditional dairy sources.

According to 21st.Bio, producing α-lac from cow’s milk remains an 'costly and inefficient' process, requiring the fractionation of roughly 1,000 litres of milk to yield just one kilogram of the protein. This makes it one of the most expensive dairy proteins currently available.

Thomas Schmidt, CEO of 21st.Bio, said: “Alpha-lactalbumin is incredibly valuable, but current supply from cow’s milk is limited. It is challenging and costly to extract at scale, which is why current supply is mostly reserved for the very high-end infant formula market."

"Through precision fermentation, we make production more efficient, sustainable and – most importantly – available to many, not just the few. On top of this, we are able to produce α-lac of high purity, an important parameter for infant nutrition.”

Through its new program, 21st.Bio is offering an animal-free, scalable and potentially more cost-effective method of producing α-lac, using precision fermentation technology and a high-performance microbial strain licensed from Novonesis.

Thomas Batchelor, SVP of advanced health and protein solutions at Novonesis, added: “We are proud to see our world-class strain being brought to market to solve current challenges in food and nutrition by 21st.Bio. We continually strive to be at the forefront of innovation and this strain is one result of our pioneering work in R&D, strain development and production. We see α-lac as a great fit to 21st.Bio's strategy and portfolio, making it the right path forward while we in Novonesis continue to focus on other protein innovation and we’re excited about the future of protein made with precision fermentation.”

He added: “We go beyond licensing our technology to our partners. We help them through the entire process of industrial-scale production. Our experience in functional proteins and our goal of achieving at least price parity with traditional dairy makes this a game-changer for companies looking to supply the market.”

“We’re heading for a protein supply gap. The industry itself is telling us: We won’t be able to meet future demand using traditional methods alone. Precision fermentation is a complementary solution – one that can reduce pressure on natural resources, lower environmental impact, and create a more distributed and resilient supply chain.”