Dutch company Royal DSM has agreed to acquire the global human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) supplier Glycom for €765 ($827m).

Established in 2005, Glycom is involved in the development and commercialisation of HMOs for Early Life Nutrition applications.

HMOs offer a collection of carbohydrate structures found in human breast milk. They are essential for both immune and cognitive development.

Royal DSM co-CEOs Geraldine Matchett and Dimitri de Vreeze said: “We are looking forward to welcoming Glycom to DSM. Our companies have a great fit together, with a shared passion for purpose-led and science-based solutions in Nutrition & Health.

“This acquisition is an attractive and logical next step for DSM enabling us to provide our customers with innovative Early Life Nutrition solutions in our Human Nutrition business.”

Glycom operates a manufacturing plant in Esbjerg, Denmark and is the only HMO provider in the world that has its own product development, preclinical, as well as clinical development with regulatory and large-scale production.

With Glycom acquisition, DSM intends to strengthen and accelerate its position in the early life nutrition segment.

Going further, DSM intends to expand Glycom’s global footprint through its global customer base and integrate it into its full solutions offering for Early Life Nutrition customers.

Glycom CEO Odd Hansen said: “We are excited to join DSM. This not only enables us to accelerate the growth of Glycom by adding our HMO products to DSM’s broad global customer base and integrate it in its full solutions offering for Infant Nutrition customers, but it also creates leverage with DSM’s strong R&D platform and clinical competencies to support the development of Glycom’s next-generation HMO’s. DSM is a real great home for Glycom to reach its full potential.”

The deal is expected to complete in the second quarter of this year.