Human lactoferrin taken from genetically modified cows’ milk is safe.
According to data from a controlled study sponsored by the Dutch Food and Nutrition Delta, human lactoferrin can boost the immune system more effectively than bovine lactoferrin even though it is inconclusive.
The GM technology sees human genetic matter inserted into cows so that they product human lactoferrin.
Project manager Frans de Loos said that the study would help him and “the four or five other companies” working in human lactoferrin achieve approval for its use in infant formulas and other products.
He said: “Infant formula is the primary market but it is not the only one as human lactoferrin is suited to many products for people with challenged immune systems.
“With infants, breast milk is still the best but in those cases where mothers can’t breast feed, then formula can be better with human lactoferrin”.
Along with the type of safety data demonstrated in the study that may be peer-reviewed and published in “6-8 months”, animal wellbeing data was required in addition of toxicological material and gene descriptions.
Loos said that the trial was one of the first pieces of clinical research to use human lactoferrin.
The study examined 24 healthy subjects aged 25 to 49 years who consumed recombinant human lactoferrin for two weeks at a daily dose of 0, 300 or 1000mg, in combination with 10g of skimmed milk powder.
No differences were noticed between the lactoferrin and placebo groups.
De Loos said that the company was looking for end-product partners as these were also required to win regulatory approval.
He also added that human lactoferrin was no more expensive than the bovine form except for infrastructure costs like second fences required to keep GM cows.
Bruno Giannetti, the COO of Pharming, said: “We conclude that these latest results confirm previous findings and together provide a very good basis to use rhLF (recombitant human lactoferrin) as a food ingredient and support for our ongoing discussions with potential partners and buyers for the project”.
