Novonesis is pleased to announce the approval of the first of its five commercialized HMOs in China. This is an important step towards introducing additional HMOs (Human Milk Oligosaccharides) of its MyOli® 5 HMO Mix.
COPENHAGEN, Denmark – December 18, 2024. With the nutrition fortifier approval of Novonesis’ first HMO (2’-FL), infant formula producers in China can now file for, and gain approval of recipes containing our 2’-FL. Beyond infant formula, the approval also enables the use in other prepared milk powder, older infant and young children formula, as well as infant formula for special medical purposes. At Novonesis, we are excited about the prospect of bringing the great benefits of our HMOs to families and infants across the Chinese market.
2'-FL is the first of Novonesis’ five commercialized HMOs to gain this approval in China, representing an important foundation for introducing the advanced and clinically studied MyOli® 5 HMO Mix—a blend designed to support infant nutrition by nearing to the composition of HMOs found in breast milk. Novonesis has also submitted the necessary applications for the remaining HMOs in the mix.
“Securing the approval of 2'-FL in China is a key milestone for us on our journey to bring the benefits of our HMO solutions to infants in China and advancing HMO science in collaboration with our infant formula partners in the region. With this milestone, we are launching our 2’-FL as a first step on an important journey towards offering additional HMOs, including our MyOli® 5 HMO Mix in China. This aligns with our aim to provide tailored, science-backed solutions that meet the needs of families and infant formula producers alike,”
says Thomas Batchelor, Senior Vice President of Advanced Health and Protein Solutions at Novonesis.
Novonesis has been one of the global market leaders developing and bringing HMOs to the market in the US and Europe. The company has a long history in China and a broad array of biosolutions, including a strong probiotics business for early life nutrition.
Novonesis supports the recommendation of the World Health Organization (WHO) towards breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months, followed by continued breastfeeding together with complementary foods.
Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are a major component of human milk, which cannot be extracted from cows’ milk, and they are associated with multiple health benefits. These include shaping a healthy infant gut microbiome, supporting brain development, reducing the risk of bacterial imbalance, contributing to the maturation of the immune system, and the integrity of the intestine.
It is estimated that roughly 20% of all infant milk formula launched in Europe and the US includes HMOs.
