ChromaDex Announces Retail Commercialization Deal With BPI Sports

- Deal with BPI Sports to Result in the Launch of Several New Products Containing NIAGEN® at Thousands of Nationwide Retail Locations -

IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 27, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ChromaDex Corp. (OTCQX: CDXC), an innovator of proprietary health, wellness and nutritional ingredients, that creates science-based solutions to dietary supplement, food and beverage, skin care, sports nutrition, and pharmaceutical products, announced today a retail commercialization deal with BPI Sports for its patented lead ingredient, NIAGEN® (Nicotinamide Riboside - NR).   

Under the terms of the agreement, BPI will have exclusive rights to introduce dietary supplement products featuring NIAGEN® in Costco, Walmart, Walgreens, Target, Miejer, Kroger, Publix, Vitacost, QVC, Home Shopping Network, Shopko, Ahold, eVine Live, Ulta, and Wegmans.

BPI Sports plans to market the ingredient under the trade names "ANTI AGING PILL", “LIFE1™”, “CELL1™” and "ENEDREX™". 

Frank Jaksch Jr., founder and CEO of ChromaDex, commented “BPI Sports has had tremendous success in selling their sports nutrition products into major retailers.  Given BPI’s established retail distribution and marketing presence, I believe this relationship will result in a rapid and significant increase in the availability of products containing NIAGEN® at thousands of nationwide retail locations. The story of NIAGEN® as the vitamin of healthy aging is starting to become better known. As awareness builds, it is important that consumer products featuring NIAGEN® are readily available.”

James Grage, VP and Co-Founder of BPI Sports, commented, "This ingredient is the first ever commercially available product specifically marketed as an NAD+ Booster and as such, has the potential for both Anti-Aging and Weight Management in ingestible form.  NIAGEN® represents real ground breaking science in terms of true life healthspan.  It also illustrates BPI Sports continuing to use (NDIN) ingredients at a time when compliance within the industry is at the forefront.  The fact that we have secured rights for NIAGEN® exclusivity in many of the top retailers is great news to the consumer.  We will be responsible for making this lesser-known form of vitamin B3 affordable and available at the retail consumer level. This partnership and exclusivity for NIAGEN® will set us apart from independent brokers and sellers while enabling us to make a significant difference in the marketplace almost overnight. There are so many health benefits linked to NIAGEN® and we look forward to sharing them with the rest of the world."

ChromaDex’s NIAGEN®  is the only commercially available form of NR and is supported by five patents issued and several pending, with patents rights acquired from Cornell University, Dartmouth College and Washington University. In addition to human clinical studies, ChromaDex is actively collaborating with numerous leading universities and research institutes studying the health benefits of NIAGEN®.

ChromaDex announced in November 2015 the New Dietary Ingredient Notification (NDIN) for NIAGEN® was successfully filed and that ChromaDex received a letter of acknowledgement without objection from FDA.  

In August 2015, ChromaDex announced results from the first human clinical study which demonstrated that a single dose of NIAGEN® can elevate the co-enzyme NAD+ in the blood by as much as 2.7-fold and was safe.  The results of that study constituted a significant milestone as it showed for the first time an increase in NAD+ in humans has been demonstrated through NR supplementation.

Published research has shown that NR is perhaps the most effective precursor to boost the co-enzyme NAD+ in the cell. NAD+ is arguably the most important cellular co-factor for improvement of mitochondrial performance and energy. In recent years, NAD+ has been shown to be essential in supporting healthy cellular metabolism including the efficient conversion of blood glucose into energy.

As organisms age, NAD+ levels drop, which leads to a decrease in mitochondrial health; this in turn leads to age-related health issues. Low NAD+ levels limit activity of a group of enzymes called sirtuins, which are believed to play a key role in longevity. NAD+ levels can be depleted by lifestyle choices such as overeating and lack of exercise. By boosting NAD+, NR can increase mitochondrial health and induce creation of new mitochondria.

About Nicotinamide Riboside (NR) Sometimes referred to as the "hidden vitamin," NR is a form of Vitamin B3 found naturally in trace amounts in milk and other foods.  Researchers around the world are studying the effect of NR on mitochondria, the powerhouses of the cell, where macronutrients are converted to energy the cell can use. Mitochondria also play an important part in the aging process. Scientists hope that the stimulation of mitochondrial function with NR may result in increased longevity as well as other health improvements. Researchers worldwide are continuing to make seminal discoveries characterizing the unique properties of NR in a wide range of health benefits, including increased mitochondrial health, increased muscle endurance, neuroprotection, sirtuin activation, protection against weight gain on high-fat diet, protection against oxidative stress and improvement of blood glucose and insulin sensitivity.

While scientists have known for decades that mitochondria produce energy for cells, it is only recently that mitochondrial function has been linked to general health, aging and numerous disease conditions. Key to mitochondrial function is the maintenance of sufficient levels of NAD+, which is used to generate energy efficiently and allows overall mitochondria function, such as signaling immune regulation and cell death to proceed properly. If NAD+ levels go down or if NAD+ is redirected (as in cancer cells), mitochondrial function erodes, creating numerous adverse effects. Scientists have begun to show in animal models that the stimulation of mitochondrial function with NR may result in increased longevity as well as other health improvements. At the same time, mitochondrial dysfunction has been increasingly linked to a broad range of disease conditions, including autoimmune diseases, macular degeneration, cancer, Alzheimer's and other central nervous system diseases, Duchenne muscular dystrophy and others.

A study by researchers from Harvard Medical School conducted in conjunction with the National Institute on Aging and published in December 2013 in Cell demonstrated that mitochondrial dysfunction (a hallmark of aging) in aging mice is due to a disruption in Sirtuin1-dependent nuclear-mitochondrial communication. The study further showed that a reduction in NAD+ levels is responsible for this disruption. Excitingly, the study demonstrated that this mitochondrial dysfunction is readily reversible by the administration of a NAD+ precursor. The study reported that "1 week of treatment with a compound that boosts NAD+ levels is sufficient to restore the mitochondrial homeostasis and key biochemical markers of muscle health in a 22-month-old mouse to levels similar to a 6-month-old mouse," indicating that some aspects of aging may be theoretically reversible.

Separately, findings from a 2012 study conducted by researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College and the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Switzerland showed that mice on a high-fat diet supplemented with NR gained 60 percent less weight than mice eating the same high-fat diet without NR supplementation. Moreover, unlike the mice that were not fed NR, none of the NR-treated mice had indications that they were developing diabetes and their energy and cholesterol levels improved, all without side effects. The Swiss researchers were quoted as saying the effects of NR on metabolism were "nothing short of astonishing."

About ChromaDexChromaDex leverages its complementary business units to discover, acquire, develop and commercialize patented and proprietary ingredient technologies that address the dietary supplement, food, beverage, skin care and pharmaceutical markets. In addition to our ingredient technologies unit, we also have business units focused on natural product fine chemicals (known as "phytochemicals"), chemistry and analytical testing services, and product regulatory and safety consulting (known as Spherix Consulting). As a result of our relationships with leading universities and research institutions, we are able to discover and license early stage, IP-backed ingredient technologies. We then utilize our in-house chemistry, regulatory and safety consulting business units to develop commercially viable ingredients. Our ingredient portfolio is backed with clinical and scientific research, as well as extensive IP protection. Our portfolio of patented ingredient technologies includes NIAGEN® nicotinamide riboside; pTeroPure® pterostilbene; PURENERGY®, a caffeine-pTeroPure® co-crystal; ProC3G®, a natural black rice containing cyanidin-3-glucoside; IMMULINA™, a spirulina extract; and Suntava® Purple Corn derived from a proprietary non-GMO purple corn hybrid which contains an extraordinarily high level of anthocyanins. To learn more about ChromaDex, please visit www.ChromaDex.com.

About BPI SPORTSBPI Sports, based in Hollywood, FL, is a leading developer, formulator and marketer of branded sports nutrition supplements sold through leading specialty retailers and distributors, including Walmart, GNC, Vitamin Shoppe, 711, Walgreens, and Bodybuilding.com. BPI Sports has a commitment to delivering the best tasting and highest quality products available that help consumers reach their health and fitness goals. For additional information, please visit www.bpisports.com.

Forward-Looking Statements: This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements that are not a description of historical facts constitute forward-looking statements and may often, but not always, be identified by the use of such words as "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "estimates", "plans", "potential", "possible", "probable", "believes", "seeks", "may", "will", "should", "could" or the negative of such terms or other similar expressions. Actual results may differ materially from those set forth in this release due to the risks and uncertainties inherent in ChromaDex's business. More detailed information about ChromaDex and the risk factors that may affect the realization of forward-looking statements is set forth in ChromaDex's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2015, ChromaDex's Quarter Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings submitted by ChromaDex to the SEC, copies of which may be obtained from the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement and ChromaDex undertakes no obligation to revise or update this release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.

Statements in this press release have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products or ingredients are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

ChromaDex Company Contact:
Andrew Johnson, Director of Investor Relations
949-419-0288
[email protected]

ChromaDex Investor Contacts:                                               
The Del Mar Consulting Group, Inc.
Robert B. Prag, President
858-794-9500
[email protected]

Source: ChromaDex, Inc.

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