Pharmaceutical products are based on immunising cows against specific disease causing organisms.  The cows respond by producing antibodies against these organisms.  The antibodies are concentrated in the cow's colostrum.  By strict quality control and careful processing, the antibodies are fully functional in a powder form.

Numico Research Australia has produced the worlds first pharmaceutically approved product to prevent rotavirus gastroenteritis in children i.e. Gastrogard-R_®.  This product is now undergoing clinical trials to evaluate its effectiveness as a treatment for rotavirus gastroenteritis in immunocompetent and immunosuppressed individuals.  The company is also actively researching products against a number of other organisms.

The other area of research is developing colostrum as a functional food in the health area.  This approach is to utilise the immune factors naturally present in colostrum e.g. immunoglobulins and antibacterial factors e.g. lactoperoxidase and lactoferrin, and growth factors.  These factors, working together, make valuable functional foods.  The first such product, intact_® with natural advantage, is available as a nutritional supplement for athletes in training.

Numico Research Australia is researching other areas of application for functional foods.