ChromaDex Signs Material Transfer Agreement With Prominent Australian Research Institute for NIAGEN Research

04 Aug 2014 --- ChromaDex Corp., an innovative natural products company that provides proprietary ingredients and science-based solutions to the dietary supplement, food and beverage, animal health, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries, announced that it has entered into a material transfer agreement (MTA) with Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, the preeminent child health research institute in Australia.

ChromaDex will provide Murdoch Childrens Research Institute with quantities of its proprietary NIAGEN nicotinamide riboside (NR) ingredient for research use.

ChromaDex's NIAGEN is the first and only commercially available form of NR, a naturally occurring vitamin B3 derivative found in milk. 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.  NAD+ is essential in supporting healthy cellular metabolism including the efficient conversation of blood glucose into energy.

Dr. David Thorburn, Mitochondrial Research group head at Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, will investigate the health benefits of NR through studies of cellular and animal models of mitochondrial respiratory chain diseases. Together with Dr. Ann Frazier and Dr. Bi-Xia Ke, and supported by a grant from the Australian Mitochondrial Disease Foundation, Dr. Thorburn will study the response to NR in mouse models with mitochondrial Complex I deficiency and in a range of human and mouse cell lines with impaired mitochondrial function.

Dr. Thorburn commented, "Mitochondrial energy generation disorders are serious conditions that vary widely in their clinical features and genetic basis. Our mouse models of Complex I deficiency show an imbalance in the NAD+/NADH ratio and NR has been shown to boost NAD levels in various model systems. We are excited to be able to study NR in a range of different pre-clinical model systems to investigate its likely utility in treating patients."

"Published research has demonstrated that nicotinamide riboside can play an important role in NAD+ production, which is an important cellular co-factor in mitochondrial health," said Frank Jaksch, Jr., founder and CEO of ChromaDex. "Researchers worldwide are working to build on this research and investigate NR's efficacy in therapeutic applications, and we are happy to support Dr. Thorburn's important research on pediatric mitochondrial disorders. Further, we're excited to add Murdoch Childrens Research Institute to our growing list of partners who are studying the science of NR."