Novonesis Group (Lyngby, Denmark) announced an agreement with TurtleTree, an expert in precision fermented ingredients, and the first company to receive a US GRAS “No Objection Letter” for its precision fermented lactoferrin LF+®. Simultaneously, Novonesis is making a minor investment into TurtleTree. 321Catalyst Ventures, the CVC-arm of Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. (HQ: Tokyo) joins the investment.
Under the agreement, Novonesis will exclusively undertake efforts to scale, manufacture and commercialize LF+® for the early life nutrition market and will additionally have selected commercial rights for dietary supplements. The agreement with TurtleTree complements Novonesis’ pioneering efforts in precision fermentation and fits well into the existing Human Health Biosolutions portfolio of Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs), probiotics and synbiotics.
Lactoferrin is a protein naturally found in milk and is recognized for its benefits across immunity, iron regulation, and gut health, particularly for women and infants. Traditional production requires large volumes of milk, leading to high costs, supply constraints, and environmental inefficiencies, preventing broad access to the health benefits that Lactoferrin provides. Through the collaboration, Novonesis and TurtleTree aim to secure ample, high-purity and cost-effective production of TurtleTree’s LF+® to the benefit of global customers.
Thomas Batchelor, Senior Vice President for Early Life and Specialized Nutrition at Novonesis, said: “Our aim is to make lactoferrin more accessible and cost-competitive and showcase what is achievable with precision fermentation in early life nutrition and dietary supplements. If successfully scaled, this will enable customers to deliver proven health benefits to consumers more efficiently. LF+®fits well in our broader portfolio of both precision fermentation projects and our specialized nutrition ingredients.”
Fengru Lin, Founder and CEO of TurtleTree, added: “This partnership is about doing the hard work required to make the unique benefits of lactoferrin truly usable at scale. Not just technically, but economically available for all. By pairing TurtleTree’s precision fermentation platform with Novonesis’ manufacturing and commercialization capabilities, we’re unlocking the consistency, cost structure, and supply reliability that modern health brands need. Ultimately, this enables our customers to formulate with confidence and deliver meaningful benefits to the people who rely on these products every day.”