21st.BIO launches precision fermentation programme for high-yield microbial strain

21st.BIO has announced the launch of a new development programme for bovine alpha-lactalbumin (α-lac) after exclusively licensing the high-yield microbial strain from Novonesis.

Alpha-lactalbumin is a highly functional milk protein rich in essential amino acids. It is easy to digest and is linked to immune and cognitive development benefits. Bovine α-lac is currently used in infant nutrition, functional food and health-focused applications.

21st.BIO is optimising the Novonesis-developed strain for industrial fermentation, scale-up, and commercialisation – enabling companies around the world to bring precision fermented α-lac to market and with the ambition to be cost competitive with its bovine counterpart.

Today, producing α-lac from bovine milk is costly and inefficient, making it one of the most expensive dairy proteins on the market. About a thousand litres of milk must be fractionated to obtain a kilogram of α-lac.

“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,” said Thomas Schmidt, CEO of 21st.BIO. “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.”

With this programme, 21st.BIO offers an animal-free, scalable, and cost-effective way to produce α-lac – using precision fermentation and a best-in-class strain from Novonesis.

“We are proud to see our world-class strain being brought to market to solve current challenges in food and nutrition by 21st.BIO” said Thomas Batchelor, senior vice president of Advanced Health and Protein Solutions at Novonesis. “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.”

21st.BIO works with customers through a phased development programme that includes:

• Access to production-ready microbial strains
• Tailored fermentation and downstream process development
• Pilot and large-scale scale-up support
• Regulatory advisory
• Royalty-based licensing upon commercialisation

“We go beyond licensing our technology to our partners,” said Thomas Schmidt. “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.”

Global demand for dairy proteins is expected by many insiders to outpace supply by 2030, as milk production slows in many parts of the world. Feedback from industry partners points to a clear need: aging dairy farmer populations, limited scalability, and growing pressure to reduce emissions are challenging the status quo.

Thomas Schmidt explains: “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.”