Innovative value, impact and relevance

Optimal care for newborn infants, including those born premature, growth restricted or otherwise compromised, is a key objective in all modern societies. As such, NEOMUNE targets a central society-relevant topic. Due to infant, maternal, societal and cultural factors, there is great variability in maternal care and feeding practices. It is important to provide evidence for best clinical practice for both normal and compromised newborn infants.

The current level of evidence allows for only few universally-accepted clinical care procedures for infants with limited maternal care. We are aware of the great complexity in targeting immune, gut and brain functions, and in both preterm and term newborn infants. On the other hand, this combined target is key to the novelty of the NEOMUNE platform. The combined target is also consistent with the health claims already widely used by the infant formula industry to market specialized formulas.

We seek translation of the NEOMUNE results into sustainable solutions for infants. While all results may not have immediate commercial value, we expect them to lead to scientific and clinical advances. Key players in the infant formula industry will have access to proof of concept for new specialized infant formula products, and to test how the infant gut microbiota can be manipulated.

Novel animal models will be designed to be idea-generating and to provide mechanistic scientific support for new interventions in infants. In addition to the pre-determined protocols, the platform will allow room for a limited number of pilot experiments with novel diets and ingredients.

Social science is included in NEOMUNE to better know the potentials and limitations of the new results. Optimal infant care depends on science, but also on social, cultural and ethical understandings of newborn infants and their parents. These vary in different parts of the world, partly explaining the wide differences in feeding practices, especially for infants not having normal access to mother´s milk. The social science studies in NEOMUNE helps to reach sustainable health solutions that are sensitive to public opinion, regulations and cultural context of care takers.