NeoKare launches product manufactured from human milk in the UK to meet the unique nutritional needs of premature infants

NeoKare Nutrition Ltd, a manufacturer in human milk-based formulations, recently announces the launch of NeoKare MMF in the UK, the world’s first mother’s milk fortifier in powder form.

In the UK, between 52,000 [i] and 60,000[ii] babies are born prematurely every year. Premature birth is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in neonates[iii] and optimal nutrition plays a critical role in a premature baby’s survival [iv]. As per 2017 WHO Recommendations on newborn health, very low birth weight infants who fail to gain weight, despite adequate breast milk feeding, should be given fortifiers, preferably those that are human milk based.[v]

NeoKare’s MMF is the world’s first and only powdered milk fortifier made from human milk provided by breast feeding mothers, as opposed to bovine based products. NeoKare MMF meets the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition’s (ESPGHAN) guidelines on energy and protein content. Our advanced technology retains most of the oligosaccharides and other micronutrients needed by newborns.

NeoKare’s MMF, when added to mothers’ milk, provides the enhanced nutrition necessary for premature infants, which cannot be provided by mothers’ milk alone. NeoKare MMF is supplementary to and does not displace mothers’ milk. NeoKare MMF is a product designed for use in a hospital setting.

An exclusive human milk diet in premature infants (a human milk-based fortifier combined with mothers’ own or donor milk) has been shown to reduce the rates of surgical necrotising enterocolitis (NEC)^iv and mortality, as well a reduction in late-onset sepsis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP)^v.

Milk provided by mothers, is subject to NeoKare’s collection procedures, which are aligned with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines (CG93) and have a three-step screening of mothers including consent, screening questionnaire and blood test. Mothers are tested for HIV-1 & 2, Hepatitis B and C, Syphilis, human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV). Each batch of finished product is tested by a UKAS accredited third party laboratory prior to distribution. Mothers who wish to provide surplus milk can contact us via our website Neokare.co.uk.

NHS based milk banks and not-for-profit milk sharing organisations exist in the UK and NeoKare’s products seek to support and supplement the long-standing work done by these organisations.

Saurabh Aggarwal, Managing Director of NeoKare, commented: “We are excited to launch NeoKare MMF, the world’s first powdered milk fortifier made from human breast milk, in the UK. Meeting the unique nutritional demands of premature babies remains a challenge and our human breast milk products will really make a difference in assisting the healthy growth and development of these very fragile infants.”

Chloe Coats, a NeoKare milk provider said: “As a mother, I know that every parent wants the best possible start in life for their child and this begins with their nutrition. For me, it feels very rewarding to be able to meet the nutritional demands of my own baby while also helping other newborns by donating my excess breast milk to NeoKare. I am pleased that babies across the UK can now access the milk products myself and other mums have donated.”

References:

[i] 2018 c.52,000 babies under 37 weeks – source: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/datasets/birthcharacteristicsinenglandandwales See also NICE https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng25/informationforpublic which cites a premature birth rate of 8%, while the NHS cites an equivalent 1 baby in 13 https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/baby-special-intensive-care/

[ii] https://www.bliss.org.uk/research-campaigns/neonatal-care-statistics/prematurity-statistics-in-the-uk

[iii] https://www.borne.org.uk/premature-birth/

[iv] Higgins RD, Devaskar S, Hay WW Jr, et al. Executive summary of the workshop “Nutritional Challenges in the High Risk Infant”. J Pediatr. 2012;160(3):511-516. doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2011.12.024. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4530452/

^ivCristofalo 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

^vHair 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 Dec;12 (10 ):663]. Breastfeed Med. 2016;11(2):70-74. doi:10.1089/bfm.2015.0134

[v] World Health Organization. WHO Recommendations on Newborn Health – Guidelines approved by the WHO Guidelines Review Committee. May 2017

Staff Writer