ChromaDex’s research and development program reaches over 250 material transfer agreements (MTAs) on Niagen^® and other ingredients, marking a milestone in NAD⁺ research

ChromaDex Corp. (NASDAQ:CDXC) today celebrates over 250 material transfer agreements (MTAs) through the ChromaDex External Research Program (CERP™), featuring ChromaDex’s flagship ingredient Niagen^® (patented nicotinamide riboside, or NR) and other proprietary ingredients. Over 235 independent scientists, doctors, and investigators across 182 institutions and 33 countries developed the 250+ MTAs to further research using various ChromaDex materials. Many of the agreements were developed to study Niagen, ChromaDex’s proprietary nicotinamide riboside (NR) ingredient, an efficient precursor for the essential cellular coenzyme, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺). ChromaDex has donated over $1.94 million in NR to date to further research around NR and NAD⁺. As of April 2022, 102 peer-reviewed published preclinical and clinical studies have resulted from these MTAs, furthering ChromaDex as a leader in NAD⁺ and healthy aging research.

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ChromaDex Celebrates over 250 Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs) (Graphic: Business Wire)

“We are thrilled to celebrate over 250 MTAs, as this achievement reinforces our dedication to leading the industry in the science of NAD⁺ and NR,” said Dr. Andrew Shao, ChromaDex Senior Vice President of Global Regulatory and Scientific Affairs. “We believe the research being done through CERP is making a positive difference and will help communities throughout the world.”

ChromaDex’s MTA program was established in 2013 by Founder and Chairman of the Board, Frank Jaksch, to advance the science of NR as a novel NAD⁺ precursor and other ChromaDex materials. In 2019, the program was branded as the ChromaDex External Research Program (CERP). Through the program’s evolution, ChromaDex not only provides materials (bulk, clinical, and matching placebo), in kind, for outstanding research proposals, but a group of interdisciplinary scientists also supports the technical and intellectual property needs of investigators, presents research at conferences, and is helping to build and support the NAD⁺ and healthy aging research community. The results of the 250+ research agreements have allowed CERP to help produce the trusted science behind Niagen and continue to advance the understanding of NAD⁺ in health, diseases, and aging.

“CERP is an important component of ChromaDex’s philanthropy. Our internal multidisciplinary and cross-functional scientists are not only providing high-quality material for research, but also creating community and multidimensional support for the investigators in our program,” said Dr. Yasmeen Nkrumah-Elie, Global Director of Research and Development for External Research at ChromaDex. “Our goal is to set the standard for excellence in industry-academic relationships and collaborations, and the metrics from our program are demonstrating that we are achieving this goal.”

The research conducted by CERP investigators has supported the advancement of science in important age-related health areas such as cellular health, cellular energy, heart health, muscle health, and brain health. Notable clinical publications from the CERP investigators include:

• Elhassan et al. 2019 demonstrated that oral nicotinamide riboside increases the NAD⁺ metabolome and was found to reduce the levels of circulating inflammatory cytokines.

• Zhou et al. 2020 demonstrated that nicotinamide riboside supplementation reduced signs of inflammation, specifically inflammatory cytokines, in an open-label pilot study of a small group of end-stage heart failure patients. A second arm of the study, conducted ex vivo, found nicotinamide riboside improved mitochondrial respiration and augmented inflammatory response in primary cells isolated from human subjects.

• Brakedal et al. 2022 utilized Niagen to increase cerebral NAD⁺ levels, which resulted in altered cerebral energy metabolism, decreased levels of inflammatory cytokines, and improved symptoms in patients with Parkinson’s disease. As seen in the peer-reviewed Cell Metabolism study.

“By providing us with NR (Niagen), the CERP team has made an essential contribution to the NADPARK study, a first of its kind phase I clinical trial of NR therapy in Parkinson’s disease,” said Prof. Charalampos Tzoulis, Professor of Neurology and Neurogenetics, Director of the K.G Jebsen Center for Translational Research in Parkinson’s disease, and Co-Director of the Neuro-SysMed Research Center, University of Bergen and Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. “The results of the trial are highly encouraging and nominate NR as a potential neuroprotective therapy for PD. Moreover, we believe the ability to augment brain NAD⁺ levels using NR now opens new potential avenues for the treatment of neurological diseases. Multiple new phase II trials have been initiated at our Center with the CERP team’s valuable contribution of the NR and placebo material required for the studies.”

“The CERP program is an invaluable platform that allows investigators, such as myself, to lead the critical research behind NR. CERP has helped disseminate safety-tested NR globally and allowed myself and others to extend the boundaries of what is known about NR and NAD⁺ metabolism,” said Dr. Charles Brenner, Alfred E Mann Family Foundation Chair in Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism at City of Hope National Medical Center and ChromaDex Chief Scientific Advisor. “These 250+ MTAs are a testament to ChromaDex’s dedication to shepherding the industry forward and helping to elevate the lives of people throughout the world.”

For additional information on the science supporting Niagen visit www.chromadex.com.

About ChromaDex:

ChromaDex Corp. is a global bioscience company dedicated to healthy aging. The ChromaDex team, which includes world-renowned scientists, is pioneering research on nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺), levels of which decline with age. ChromaDex is the innovator behind NAD⁺ precursor nicotinamide riboside (NR), commercialized as the flagship ingredient Niagen®. Nicotinamide riboside and other NAD⁺ precursors are protected by ChromaDex’s patent portfolio. ChromaDex maintains a website at www.chromadex.com to which ChromaDex regularly posts copies of its press releases as well as additional and financial information about the Company.

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 Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including statements related to results of the NIAGEN® studies, their significance and whether the studies show potential for benefits on human health and specifically whether NR has the ability to augment brain NAD+ levels opening new avenues for the treatment of neurological diseases. 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. Other risks that contribute to the uncertain nature of the forward-looking statements include: unfavorable publicity or changing consumer perceptions of our products; our inability to commercialize further products; reliance on a single or limited number of third-party suppliers for raw materials to produce our products; and the risks and uncertainties associated with our business and financial condition in general, described in ChromaDex's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, ChromaDex's Quarterly 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, and actual results may differ materially from those suggested by these forward-looking statements. 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.

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ChromaDex External Research Program (CERP™) reaches over 250 material transfer agreements (#MTAs) on Niagen® and other ingredients, marking a milestone in #NAD research