FDA grants Breakthrough Device designation for Emily’s Care Nourish Test System

Lactation Lab, which offers the most scientifically advanced breast milk testing available, has announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has granted the company Breakthrough Device designation for its latest device Emily’s Care Nourish Test System that tests and provides a nutritional analysis of breast milk.

This first-of-its-kind breast-milk (point of care)-test allows mothers to test for key macronutrients (fat, protein, carbohydrates and adjust their nutritional intake accordingly. The test was developed for use in the NICU, hospital clinics, milk banks and home use.

The FDA Breakthrough Device designation for Emily’s Care Test System is a critical step in serving the most vulnerable infant population. Research in the past five years demonstrates how important key nutrients are for babies in the first five weeks of life. Nutrition is the only modifiable factor for preterm babies, and our Emily’s Care device provides potentially life-saving data, especially for those at risk of life-threatening conditions.”

Dr. Stephanie Canale, CEO of Lactation Lab

The FDA Breakthrough Device designation will expedite regulatory review of Emily’s Care to provide patients and health care providers with quicker access. The designation is only awarded to breakthrough technologies that have the potential to provide effective treatment and diagnosis for life-threatening or irreversible debilitating diseases or conditions.

Founded in 2017 by CEO Dr. Stephanie Canale, Lactation Lab’s proprietary tests were developed by a team of practicing physicians, Ph.D. chemists and toxicologists. The startup company is housed at the Magnify Incubator at the California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA, which provides access to one of the most advanced research labs in the world.

Lactation Lab is pioneering academic research in breast milk composition, also publishing findings in several prominent scientific journals, including Breastfeeding Medicine and Clinical Lactation.

Canale, a physician formerly at UCLA whose practice largely consisted of new mothers and babies, started Lactation Lab to provide parents with scientific and evidence-based insights, resources, and guidance. As a mom with an infant diagnosed with “failure to thrive,” also known as growth faltering. Canale wondered why there was no way to know what was in her own breast milk.

“The time is now to empower moms with the kind of information and peace of mind I needed during my own breastfeeding journey. During the Covid-19 pandemic, amid the anxiety of leaving the home and going to doctor’s visits, we decided to bring Emily’s Care directly to mothers and take the guesswork out of breastfeeding,” said Canale.

Lactation Lab’s breast-milk-test surpasses the creamatocrit breast milk test first developed in 1978. This rudimentary test is still widely used in hospitals, NICUs and support centers. Lactation Lab’s Emily’s aims to replace the existing test with Emily’s Care, which provides more accurate data than infra-red human milk analyzers. The company also just launched Emily’s Care infant supplement, which is the first infant supplement to receive Clean Label Project Certification and will support breastfeeding babies.

“We would like to continue advancements in women’s health to remove the current stigma around postpartum care and breastfeeding,” said Canale. “The data supports objective, evidence-based decision-making not only for hospitals and NICUs, but also for mothers at home. These are revolutionary steps to improve the standard of care surrounding breast milk for mom and baby.”