Innovative Human Milk-based solutions helping improve newborn healthcare

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NeoLacta LifeSciences’s proprietary products make India one of the few nations globally to have access to 100% human milk-based products. These products have benefitted more than 50,000 babies to date.

New Delhi, March 22: Statistics show that India has around 3.5 million babies each year who are born prematurely (before 37 weeks). That’s an astonishing 13% of the total babies born each year. A large number of these babies suffer from complications such as necrotising enterocolitis, growth deficits, sepsis and infection, all primarily due to lack of human milk intake. Many of these mothers are severely ill or recovering from surgery and are not in the mental and physical condition to breastfeed.

NeoLacta Lifesciences is the 1st company in Asia and India to introduce the concept of collecting, processing, and supplying 100% human milk-based products to save the lives of premature & sick infants. With the help of its patented technology, Neolacta Lifesciences is contributing significantly towards improving overall health outcomes for premature and high-risk babies.

“We observed that improving outcomes required firming up the quality of care as well as ensuring accessibility of an exclusive human milk diet (EHMD). Lactose, lipids and Oligosaccharides among others from a human milk source help build a strong foundation for the preemie’s immune system protecting them from viral, bacterial, and fungal infections”, informed Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Vikram Reddy.

NeoLacta processes the donated breast milk through Holder’s pasteurisation to make it safe for babies, ensuring the retention of nutrients and immunity factors inherent to breast milk. World Health Organization (WHO) recommends screened and pasteurised donor human milk as the next best option in the absence of a mother’s milk.

“Mothers with excess breast milk come forward to donate and are screened for medical and lifestyle-related conditions.  After that, they undergo blood tests for HIV1 &2, Syphilis, Hepatitis B and C. Once a mother is approved as a donor, she starts collecting her milk from the comfort of her home, which our logistic partner then picks up. When the collected donor milk reaches the NeoLacta facility, it undergoes quality checks and is screened for microbial activity, contamination etc. Post that, the pooled milk undergoes Holder’s Pasteurisation to eliminate pathogens, ensuring the product is safe for consumption.” informed Dr. Vikram Reddy.

Dr. Geetika Gangwani, Lactation Consultant, informed that “We recommend an exclusive human milk diet for all infants, especially those born prematurely and/or weigh less than 1500 grams at birth. Adherence to an EHMD has been clinically demonstrated to minimise risks of prematurity-related complications in addition to reducing hospital stay and costs, compared to the usage of bovine milk-based products in the baby’s diet.

NeoLacta utilises proprietary technology to develop an entire ecosystem of value-added human milk-based products, including the world’s 1st human milk-based powdered fortifier and human milk for reconstitution. These innovative products are shelf-stable and thereby address a core concern of cold chain maintenance critical to human milk stability.

Encouraged by the overwhelming response of clinicians and supported by a robust logistical network covering most metros and major cities, NeoLacta Lifesciences has embarked on a mission towards improving access to human milk through its range of 100% human milk-based products, concluded, Dr. Vikram Reddy, Chief Scientific Officer, NeoLacta Lifesciences.