Press Releases
CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif. April 24, 2015 – Prolacta Bioscience,® the pioneer in human milk-based neonatal nutritional products, announced that it will host a symposium on the “Benefits of an Exclusive Human Milk-Based Diet in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Beyond,” in San Diego, Calif., on April 26, 2015.
With presentations by internationally renowned neonatologists and the foremost authorities on pediatric nutrition, the symposium will feature the latest clinical benefits of an exclusive human milk diet on the growth and health of premature newborns, during and beyond their time in the NICU.
“We are proud to bring leading neonatologists and pediatric nutrition experts together to discuss the benefits of an exclusive human-milk based diet,” said Scott Elster, President and CEO of Prolacta Bioscience. “As the pioneer in human milk-based neonatal nutritional products, we are committed to advancing the science of human milk by sharing the latest research and clinical data for applications within the NICU and beyond.”
Research presented will include emerging data on the use of an exclusive human milk diet for premature infants in the NICU, which shows a significantly lower incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) as well as a reduction in mortality and late-onset sepsis. There will also be data presented on the potential for long-term benefits of an exclusive human milk diet in terms of weight gain and growth at two years of age, as well as a possible effect on cardiovascular health.
Sergio Golombek, MD, MPH (Chair)
Professor of Pediatrics and Clinical Public Health at New York Medical College, and Attending Neonatologist at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, New York
Melinda J. Elliott, MD ,
Neonatologist at Mednax Medical Group, Herman & Walter Samuelson Children’s Hospital at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland
Amy B. Hair, MD ,
Attending Neonatologist, Assistant Professor, Medical Director of Neonatal Nutrition, Section of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, Texas
Alan Lucas, MD ,
Professor and Chair in Paediatric Nutrition, Child Nutrition Research Centre, at the Institute of Child Health in London, UK
“It is an honor to join colleagues from around the world to discuss the evolving clinical applications and cutting-edge science related to human milk within the NICU and beyond,” said Dr. Golombek, chair of the symposium. “The emergence of new research underscoring not only the benefits of human milk for premature infants in the NICU, but also its potential impact on other issues like cardiovascular health makes this an exciting time with great possibilities for the future.”
Growing scientific evidence supports the health benefits of an exclusive human milk diet for premature infants in the NICU, as opposed to cow milk-based nutrition or formula. A report published in 2014 in the journal Breastfeeding Medicine found an increase in the likelihood of developing necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), NEC requiring surgery, or sepsis, as the amount of cow milk-based protein fed to the infants in the control group increased1. NEC is one of the leading causes of mortality among preterm babies.
Another study published in the Journal of Pediatrics found that successfully incorporating a human milk caloric fortifier made from pasteurized human milk cream into premature infants’ diets improved their growth outcomes in the NICU. Since human breast milk is highly variable, a significant percentage typically contains less than 20 calories per fluid ounce. Adding a human milk-derived cream supplement to mother’s own or donor breast milk, when less than 20 calories are present, provides the nutrition these preemies need for growth2.
Prolacta Bioscience, the world leader in providing donor breast milk formulations to hospitals, offers the first and only complete line of human milk-based neonatal nutritional products that are clinically proven3,4,5 to improve health outcomes, decrease mortality and reduce healthcare system costs for critically ill preemies in the NICU. All Prolacta products are derived from 100-percent human breast milk and are formulated to meet the needs of extremely premature infants in the NICU. This includes a standardized pasteurized milk formulation for use in NICUs, which supports the American Academy of Pediatrics’ (AAP) recommendation that all preterm infants receive breast milk, be it a mother’s own or donor milk6.
Prolacta Bioscience, Inc. is a privately-held life sciences company dedicated to Advancing the Science of Human Milk.® The company pioneered the development of human milk-based neonatal nutritional products to meet the needs of critically ill, premature infants in the NICU. Prolacta leads the industry in the quality and safety of nutritional products made from breast milk and operates the first and only pharmaceutical-grade manufacturing facility for the processing of human breast milk.
Media Contact:
Loren Kosmont
Lkosmont@prolacta.com
310-721-9444