Photo: Glycom

Multi-million investment in DTU spin-out

Chemistry Entrepreneurship Innovation and product development
Scion DTU is home to a company that is well on its way to becoming one of the biggest Danish biotech success stories ever

The company is Glycom, which is focused on producing substances found naturally in breast milk. In March 2016, Danica Pension invested millions in the company, which is deemed to hold a multibillion-euro earnings potential within the production of infant formula. In addition to lending the company EUR 54 million, Danica Pension is also investing double-digit millions directly in the company, which was founded ten years ago.

 Glycom has found the key to producing a number of oligosaccharides found in breast milk. And, of course, in exactly the versions which occur naturally. In this way, the formula produced from cow’s milk will come to resemble real breast milk more than the formulas available today.

In the long term, a range of preventive and curative applications will follow, for adult as well.

The idea behind the company was conceived by six researchers, including two emeritus researchers at DTU Chemistry, husband-and-wife team Behrend and Inge Lundt.