CSIRO spin-off targets future health ingredients with precision fermentation

CSIRO has announced the spin-off of a new biotech startup with its sights set on a multibillion-dollar opportunity to improve access to crucial health-beneficial ingredients for use across multiple industries.

The company — Eclipse Ingredients — will use an advanced fermentation-based process to efficiently produce new ingredients from yeast instead of animal sources, enabling access to ingredients that are difficult or impossible to source through traditional methods.

Eclipse Ingredients will first focus on human lactoferrin, which offers diverse health benefits, including anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects, microbiome and immune support, and iron-binding functionality.

CEO and co-founder Siobhan Coster said precision fermentation can unlock access to previously unavailable ingredients like human lactoferrin, while offering a more scalable and sustainable approach to traditional ingredient production.

“We’re harnessing advances in the age-old fermentation process to create ingredients that simply weren’t previously accessible,” Coster said. “Precision fermentation works by engineering microorganisms, such as yeast, to produce proteins and other compounds that mirror those found in humans or animals with similar nutritional and functional profile.

“While our initial focus is cosmetics, there are health benefits that human lactoferrin can deliver across other areas, including food and supplements, opening up a range of opportunities to support health and wellbeing.”

CSIRO Research Lead Dr Crispin Howitt said Eclipse Ingredients was an example of how Australia is helping to meet the world’s growing needs.

“We’re delivering trusted science, as well as helping to demonstrate new potential technology-led industries for Australia,” Howitt said. “Australia is a leading producer in trusted, sustainable and high-quality ingredients, and can build on this reputation to open new high-value market opportunities using advances in precision fermentation.”

Eclipse is working with CSIRO, AgFunder and the Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA) in the next phase to scale up production.

Image: Dr Crispin Howitt. Source: Supplied.