Explore the Agenda
7:30 am Check In, Coffee & Light Breakfast
8:20 am Chair’s Opening Remarks
Building Global Ingredient Strategies That Succeed Across Approval, Scale & Adoption
8:30 am Lactoferrin & Next-Generation Recombinant Proteins Shaping the Future of Infant Formula
- Exploring strategic pathways for recombinant LF that balance commercial opportunities in adult nutrition with extended regulatory timelines in infant nutrition
- Examining how LF bridges functional bioactive gaps between breast milk and formula to support improved infant health outcomes, including discussion of a preclinical infant mouse study evaluating the effects of oral LF on the gut microbiome and intestinal barrier
- Translating lessons from previous novel ingredient launches in infant formula into actionable approaches for regulatory approval and geographic expansion
9:00 am From Compliance to Control: Bridging EU Regulation, US Innovation, & Next-Generation Omega-3 Strategies
- Compare EU and US regulatory philosophies shaping infant lipid strategies: Explore the strengths and limitations of prescriptive versus innovation-driven approaches through examples such as mandatory DHA, MOSH/MOAH, PFAS, and their impact on DHA sourcing and formulation choices
- Translate market and scientific realities into infant lipid design: Leverage market insights to compare DHA and ARA usage, sourcing strategies, and the slower transition toward algal solutions in Europe, while reviewing the latest evidence on DHA/ARA balance and ongoing scientific debate
- Enable next-generation lipid systems through precision fermentation: Discuss how advances in sourcing and fermentation technologies enable higher purity, traceability, consistency, and resilience, opening the path toward more complete and future-ready lipid systems beyond traditional omega 3
9:30 am Nūmi’s Bioproduction Platform for Human Milk Bioactives at Scale
- This presentation will explore how recent advances in cell biology and bioprocess engineering enable the production of a broad spectrum of human milk bioactives, including key proteins and HMOs, with high functional fidelity
- We will share how a single upstream process can produce a broad repertoire of human milk constituents in one batch (rather than one molecule per strain/process), and what it takes to scale reliably
- Examine pathways to industrial scale, addressing key challenges around yield, batch consistency, cost trajectories, and integration into existing infant formula manufacturing systems
10:00 am Morning Break & Networking
Advancing Scalable Manufacturing for Novel Ingredients: Cutting Costs, Diversifying Portfolios & Enabling Global Access
11:00 am Engineering the Full Spectrum of Human Milk Oligosaccharides at Global Scale
- Examine how plant-based bioengineering unlocks the production of structurally complex and high-value HMOs that have been difficult or impossible to manufacture using microbial fermentation platforms
- Explore scalable pathways for producing a broad diversity of HMOs at lower cost, leveraging agricultural systems to improve yield, consistency, and economic viability for widespread infant formula adoption
- Discuss how access to the full spectrum of HMOs can better support infant gut microbiome development and immune health, enabling formula designs that more closely reflect the functional complexity of human milk
- Assess the scientific, manufacturing, and investment considerations for translating plant-derived HMO platforms from research breakthroughs into commercially viable, globally accessible nutrition solutions for infants and beyond
11:30 am The Reality of Scaling Novel Lipids for Infant Nutrition: Lessons From 25 Years in Microbial Manufacturing
- Casey Lippmeier, CTO at Checkerspot, draws on 25+ years in microalgae, precision fermentation, and nutritional lipid commercialization to examine how ingredients such as algal DHA moved from scientific promise to widespread use in infant formula
- The session offers a candid look at the realities of scaling novel lipids: strain selection, fermentation, regulatory strategy, cost, supply resilience, and the operational discipline required to serve highly regulated nutrition markets
- Checkerspot’s work on High sn-2 Palmitate Algal Oil and next-generation lipid innovation, is showing how precision fermentation can design the nutritional fats and oils that shape infant formula performance, tolerance, and supply resilience
12:00 pm Making Advanced HMOs Accessible: From Evolutionary Insight to Scalable, Affordable Production
- Understand how human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) and the infant microbiome evolved together, and why complex HMOs like the LNFP family and DSLNT play a critical role in early-life development
- Examine the current infant formula landscape to understand why high prices and technological barriers have prevented the widespread use of high-concentration HMOs
- Learn how Primogene utilizes safe and scalable technology to achieve commoditylevel pricing so all infants can have access to broad range of HMOs
- Explore how an enzyme-based manufacturing approach follows a regulatory-proven route, comparable to established GOS production processes
- Discover our proven manufacturing capabilities from gram to metric ton scales and explore partnership opportunities to bring these vital nutrients to the market
12:30 pm Lunch & Networking Break
Future‑Proofing Innovation: Aligning Safety Narratives, Public Trust & Industry Decision Pathways to Advance Novel Formula Ingredients
1:30 pm Roundtable Discussion: Navigating Consumer Acceptance of Novel Ingredients in Infant Formula to Build Trust in Innovation
- How parents and caregivers perceive and evaluate novel infant formula ingredients, and the key factors that drive acceptance or resistance
- The impact of safety incidents and recalls on long-term consumer trust and willingness to embrace innovation
- How innovators and manufacturers can design and defend credible safety testing strategies for novel ingredients amid increasing public scrutiny
- How brands can navigate uncertainty, misinformation, and heightened scrutiny through effective positioning and timely communication
- The challenge of aligning scientific evidence, regulatory language, and consumer understanding without oversimplifying complex realities
- Where transparency adds the most value in infant formula, balancing accessibility, clarity, and information overload
2:00 pm Closing Panel: Decision Criteria for New Ingredients Shaping the Future of Formula
- Gain a clear, end-to-end view of how novel ingredients are evaluated, from first screening through pilot trials to full commercial adoption, and what determines decisions
- Define the evidence that moves the market, understanding the evidence package required to advance ingredients, including regulatory readiness, clinical validation, functional performance, and supply security
- Align on realistic timelines and economics, from initial engagement to revenue generation, helping innovators and partners plan investment and scale appropriately
- Set shared priorities for accelerating innovation, synthesize summit insights into actionable industry priorities