FREEMILK Maker Strive Taps Dyadic and BRIG BIO for Precision-Fermented Alpha-Lactalbumin

Strive Nutrition, the company behind the animal-free milk brand FREEMILK, has announced a collaboration with Dyadic Applied BioSolutions and BRIG BIO to develop and commercialize precision-fermented bovine alpha-lactalbumin. The aim is to produce over 10 metric tonnes of this protein by early 2028, pending a self-affirmed GRAS process. Dyadic will utilize its Dapibus fungal expression platform, while Strive will evaluate the protein's performance in its products. The long-term goal is to scale production to over 200 metric tonnes annually, contingent on successful technical evaluations and compliance with regulatory standards.

This partnership builds on Dyadic's previous agreements in the dairy protein space and highlights the increasing interest in fermentation-based production methods for proteins that are traditionally costly to isolate from milk. Alpha-lactalbumin, a key protein found in human breast milk, is vital for nutrition but is typically difficult and expensive to extract from conventional dairy sources. Strive’s CEO emphasized the potential of this collaboration to enhance access to this valuable ingredient through animal-free precision fermentation.