Pinnacle Food Reports rhLF Expression in First 5-Liter Bench-Scale Fermentation
Pinnacle Food Group Limited said its Hong Kong subsidiary completed a 5-liter bench-scale fermentation of its first-generation recombinant human lactoferrin yeast strain, with laboratory testing confirming rhLF expression.
Pinnacle Food Group Limited (NASDAQ:PFAI) said its wholly owned subsidiary, Pinnacle Food AgTech HK Limited, has completed the first bench-scale fermentation of the company’s first-generation recombinant human lactoferrin (rhLF) yeast strain. The work was conducted in a 5-liter fermenter using methanol-free Pichia technology.
The company said testing with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Immuno Blotting detected rhLF expression from the yeast strain.
Pinnacle Food described the experiment as the first assessment of the strain under controlled bench-scale fermentation conditions. The result follows the company’s April 2026 announcement that it had created the first-generation rhLF yeast strain.
Pinnacle Food said the findings will inform additional strain optimisation and process development, while supporting its evaluation of potential scale-up. Chief Executive Officer Jiulong You said the company would assess the route towards scale-up as it continues work on its precision fermentation capabilities.
The fermentation technology was developed through a research collaboration with Bioboost Synbio Consulting Inc. Pinnacle Food said the methanol-free approach is intended to provide a cleaner, safer and more cost-effective alternative to conventional methanol-based fermentation methods.
Lactoferrin is an iron-binding glycoprotein found naturally in milk, including human milk. It is used in infant nutrition, dietary supplements and other nutritional applications. Pinnacle Food said rhLF made through precision fermentation is intended to have a structure similar to lactoferrin found in human milk.
Bioboost entered into a research and technology collaboration agreement with Pinnacle Food AgTech HK Limited in January 2026. The arrangement covers biotechnology and precision fermentation research, including rhLF-related activities, alongside technical consulting, ecosystem scouting and assessments of research directions and technical feasibility.
Pinnacle Food said its rhLF research remains at an early stage. It cautioned that results achieved at bench scale may not be replicated or improved in later experiments or at larger scales.
The company also identified uncertainty over whether it can achieve commercially viable expression levels, yields, purity, production costs and product quality. Other risks include technical challenges in strain optimisation, process development and scale-up; reliance on third-party research partners and their technologies and intellectual property; and questions concerning intellectual property ownership, protection and freedom-to-operate.
Additional risks cited by Pinnacle Food include obtaining and maintaining required regulatory approvals, including an FDA GRAS determination or other novel food authorisations, as well as funding, competition, changes in market demand and pricing, and broader economic and industry conditions.
Pinnacle Food Group Limited announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Pinnacle Food AgTech HK Limited, completed the first bench-scale fermentation of the Company’s first-generation recombinant human lactoferrin (rhLF) yeast strain in a 5-liter bench-scale fermenter. Laboratory analyses confirmed rhLF expression.
Pinnacle Food Group Limited announced the milestone on October 13, 2026. The announcement covers the first evaluation of its first-generation rhLF yeast strain under controlled bench-scale fermentation conditions.
Pinnacle Food Group Limited said high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Immuno Blotting confirmed rhLF expression. The testing related to fermentation using the Company’s first-generation yeast strain.
Pinnacle Food Group Limited used methanol-free Pichia fermentation technology developed through its research collaboration with Bioboost Synbio Consulting Inc. The Company said this approach is designed to offer a cleaner, safer and more cost-effective alternative to conventional methanol-based fermentation approaches.
Pinnacle Food Group Limited said the results further inform strain optimisation and process development and support its evaluation of potential scale-up. Chief Executive Officer Jiulong You said the team would evaluate the path towards scale-up.
Pinnacle Food Group Limited said the milestone builds on its April 2026 announcement of the creation of its first-generation rhLF yeast strain. The latest work was the first evaluation of that strain under controlled bench-scale fermentation conditions.
Pinnacle Food Group Limited describes itself as a technology-driven company operating at the intersection of smart farming and bioengineering. Through its “Dual-Engine” strategy, it seeks to combine controlled-environment agricultural technologies with precision fermentation, synthetic biology and related engineering capabilities to support the development and commercialisation of high-value biological products.
Lactoferrin is an iron-binding glycoprotein naturally present in milk, including human milk, and is used in infant nutrition, dietary supplements and other nutritional applications. Pinnacle Food Group Limited said rhLF produced through precision fermentation is intended to be structurally similar to the lactoferrin found in human milk.
Pinnacle Food Group Limited said Bioboost Synbio Consulting Inc. entered into a research and technology collaboration agreement with its wholly owned subsidiary, Pinnacle Food AgTech HK Limited, in January 2026. The collaboration covers biotechnology and precision fermentation research applications, including rhLF-related research, as well as technical consulting services, ecosystem scouting and evaluation of research directions and technical feasibility.
Pinnacle Food Group Limited identifies its shares as trading on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol PFAI.
Pinnacle Food Group Limited said its rhLF research is at an early stage and that bench-scale results may not be replicated or improved upon in further experiments or at larger scales. The Company also identified risks involving commercially viable expression levels, yields, purity, production costs and product quality; technical challenges in strain optimisation, process development and scale-up; reliance on third-party research partners and their technologies and intellectual property; intellectual property ownership, protection and freedom-to-operate; required regulatory approvals, including FDA GRAS determination or other novel food authorisations; funding; competition; changes in market demand and pricing; and broader economic and industry conditions.