Advancing the Science of Human Milk®

Prolacta Bioscience is a research-driven company dedicated to advancing the science of human milk.

As a pioneer in human milk–based nutritional products, Prolacta produces specialty nutritional formulations made exclusively from human milk for critically ill and fragile infants. Prolacta is the first and only company to provide a human milk fortifier made from 100% human milk,* Prolact+ H2MF® human milk fortifier (human, pasteurized), which is then sold to hospitals. To date, 63,000 infants throughout the world have directly benefitted from Prolacta’s products.**

As a for-profit, scientifically driven company, Prolacta has invested in research, clinical studies, and facilities to develop and test our human milk–based products. This world-class research and development would not have been possible with a non-profit business model.
 

What Are Prolacta’s Human Milk–Based Fortifiers, and How Do They Help?


While breastmilk is perfect nutrition for healthy full-term babies, it does not provide enough nutrition for premature and critically ill infants. These infants may need additional calories and protein, in addition to breastmilk, to support their growth and development. Your breastmilk helps Prolacta provide hospitals with the world’s first and only nutritional fortifiers made exclusively from donor breastmilk, instead of cow milk.
 
Prolacta’s fortifiers are changing the standard of care for premature infants globally. Premature infants receiving a 100% human milk–based diet including Prolacta’s fortifiers had fewer complications1-5 and went home sooner.6

Prolacta:

  • Creates specialty formulations made exclusively from human milk for the nutritional needs of critically ill and fragile infants in hospitals
  • Is setting the new standard of safety and quality in human milk processing and milk collection, with a pharmaceutical-grade manufacturing facility that is the first of its kind
  • Developed the first large-scale human milk processing facility in the world, using state-of-the-art formulation, pasteurization, and filling processes
  • Is the first organization that includes a safety combination of DNA matching of mom to milk; testing for drugs and cow milk contamination as well as HIV-1, HCV, and hepatitis virus type B (HBV) through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing
  • Is the only organization to provide a human milk fortifier that is made from 100% human milk protein as opposed to cow milk for extremely fragile and critically ill infants*
  • Is committed to supporting research in the study of human milk and infant nutrition to make a difference in the lives of the most fragile babies
  • Is committed to supporting breastfeeding and breastfeeding initiatives to promote 100% breastmilk nutrition for critically ill babies
  • Is dedicated to recognizing the contribution of breastfeeding mothers by making sure the mother never pays any out-of-pocket expenses
  • Supports hospitals and national charities

Prolacta’s mission is to make a meaningful difference in the lives of thousands of the most vulnerable infants through world-class research and innovative products.

 



*With added essential minerals.
**Estimated number of premature infants fed Prolacta’s products from January 2007 to August 2020; data on file.
1 Hair AB, Peluso AM, Hawthorne KM, et al. Beyond necrotizing enterocolitis prevention: improving outcomes with an exclusive human milk-based diet [published correction appears in Breastfeed Med. 2017;12(10):663]. Breastfeed Med. 2016;11(2):70-74. doi:10.1089/bfm.2015.0134
2 Huston RK, Markell AM, McCulley EA, Gardiner SK, Sweeney SL. Improving growth for infants ≤1250 grams receiving an exclusive human milk diet. Nutr Clin Pract. 2018;33(5):671-678. doi:10.1002/ncp.10054
3 Abrams SA, Schanler RJ, Lee ML, Rechtman DJ. Greater mortality and morbidity in extremely preterm infants fed a diet containing cow milk protein products. Breastfeed Med. 2014;9(6):281-285. doi:10.1089/bfm.2014.0024
4 Cristofalo EA, Schanler RJ, Blanco CL, et al. Randomized trial of exclusive human milk versus preterm formula diets in extremely premature infants. J Pediatr. 2013;163(6):1592-1595.e1. doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2013.07.011
5 Sullivan S, Schanler RJ, Kim JH, et al. An exclusively human milk-based diet is associated with a lower rate of necrotizing enterocolitis than a diet of human milk and bovine milk-based products. J Pediatr. 2010;156(4):562-567.e1. doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2009.10.040
6 Assad M, Elliott MJ, Abraham JH. Decreased cost and improved feeding tolerance in VLBW infants fed an exclusive human milk diet. J Perinatol. 2016;36(3):216-220. doi:10.1038/jp.2015.168