New Published Clinical Trial Confirms NIAGEN® Supplementation Raised Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD) Levels and Potentially Improves Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular Health

IRVINE, Calif., March 29, 2018 -- ChromaDex Corp. (NASDAQ:CDXC), an integrated, science-based, nutraceutical company devoted to improving the way people age, announced today that results from a human clinical study of NIAGEN^®, a cutting-edge form of vitamin B3, led by Christopher Martens, PhD and Douglas Seals, PhD, of the Integrative Physiology of Aging Laboratory at the University of Colorado, Boulder (CU Boulder), were reported and published today in the journal, Nature Communications.

The authors conducted a six-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover clinical trial in 30 healthy middle-aged and older adults taking a 500 mg twice daily dose of NIAGEN nicotinamide riboside chloride (NR).  The results provide conclusive evidence that chronic NR supplementation is effective at raising levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) in humans, without adverse effects. The robust NAD boosting effects of NR reported in this study are aligned with those in the first human study published late 2016.

Dr. Charles Brenner, discoverer of NR as a human vitamin, Chief Scientific Advisor of ChromaDex and author of the 2016 study which established the safety and oral availability of NR commented, “The Colorado study is a landmark because it provides beautiful, placebo-controlled safety data at 1 gram of NR per day while also indicating that NR has the potential to support healthy cardiovascular function in people. I could not be more pleased with the level of global research interest in NIAGEN in supporting human health and wellness.” Dr. Brenner serves as the Roy J. Carver Chair and Head of Biochemistry at the University of Iowa.

In addition to confirming the ability of NIAGEN to effectively and tolerably raise NAD levels, the authors assessed a broad range of physiological factors known to decline with advancing age.  “This was the first study to assess the efficacy of chronic nicotinamide riboside supplementation in humans and while our main objective was to confirm the increase in NAD, we also wanted to identify possible end-points for future studies targeted at reducing age-related physiological dysfunction,” said Dr. Christopher Martens, the lead-author of the paper.

Based on their findings, the authors concluded that future clinical trials with NIAGEN should assess its role in supporting cardiovascular health, specifically improvements in blood pressure (BP) and aortic stiffness.  These end-points appeared to be the most responsive in this current trial, particularly in subjects with elevated BP through stage 1 hypertension (subjects with stage 2 hypertension were not included in this study).

Martens commented, “Nearly 60% of the US population, mostly middle-aged and older aldults, have elevated blood pressure or stage 1 hypertension, and nearly two thirds of cardiovascular related events (such as heart attacks) occur in individuals with blood pressure in this range.  Though larger scale clinical studies will be needed to assess these endpoints further, these results provide a solid direction for future work.”  Douglas Seals, Director of the Integrative Physiology of Aging Laboratory at CU Boulder and senior author on the paper, shared that he and Martens have already submitted a grant request to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to further their research in human subjects.  A final decision on the grant funding is expected in early fall, 2018.

In addition to measuring NAD levels, the authors also found a trend towards an increase in ATP- the energy currency of the body.  These sorts of developments have led to increased interest in NAD science.  Dr. Rudolph Tanzi, the Vice-Chair of Neurology and Director of the Genetics and Aging Research Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, the Joseph P. and Rose F. Kennedy Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School, and a member of the ChromaDex Scientific Advisory Board commented, “The decreased availability of cellular energy in the central nervous system is now thought to be a contributing factor in cognitive decline. My interest in nicotinamide riboside is rooted in its unique ability to efficiently increase NAD levels. This study took the science a step further by noting that NR trended towards increasing ATP which is needed for the cellular energy the body and brain need.”

Robert Fried, President, and Chief Operating Officer of ChromaDex, commented, “We have a responsibility to continue uncovering the value of this nutrient. Today it is helping people age better, tomorrow it could be a tool for many millions of people globally to help support their cardiovascular health.”

ChromaDex Scientific Advisory Board member, Nobel Laureate and Professor at Stanford Medical School, Roger Kornberg, shared, “The University of Colorado research is particularly compelling because this placebo controlled study corroborated not only the safety profile of NIAGEN^®, but also uncovered initial potential that systolic BP was reduced in subjects with pre-hypertension.”

“In November, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) lowered their definition of high blood pressure to allow for earlier intervention, making the results of this study particularly promising for those concerned with maintaining their heart health,” stated ChromaDex Founder and CEO, Frank Jaksch. “The science has confirmed NIAGEN’s ability to significantly increase NAD in humans, while revealing the potential of an important avenue for supporting cardiovascular health.”

To date, ChromaDex has invested millions in safety, toxicology and human clinical trials on NIAGEN, the only form of NR with New Dietary Ingredient and Generally Regarded as Safe designations notified to the US Food and Drug Administration. ChromaDex has supplied NIAGEN at no cost to nearly 140 leading institutions for research including Dartmouth, the National Institutes of Health, University of Iowa, and the Scripps Research Institute.

To learn more about ChromaDex, please visit www.ChromaDex.com.

About NIAGEN^®:
NIAGEN^®, also known as nicotinamide riboside (NR), is a very unique member of the vitamin B3 family. The body converts NR into Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD) which is an essential molecule found in every living cell.

About NAD:
Despite being discovered more than 100 years ago, NAD has emerged in the past two decades as a key regulator of aging processes. NAD levels decline with age in model organisms and humans, and boosting NAD levels through genetic and nutritional means has been shown to improve the healthspan and/or lifespan of model organisms.

About ChromaDex:
ChromaDex Corp. is an integrated, global nutraceutical company devoted to improving the way people age. ChromaDex scientists partner with leading universities and research institutions worldwide to uncover the full potential of NAD and identify and develop novel, science-based ingredients. Its flagship ingredient, NIAGEN nicotinamide riboside, sold directly to consumers as TRU NIAGEN^®, is backed with clinical and scientific research, as well as extensive IP protection. TRU NIAGEN is helping the world AGE BETTER^®. To learn more about ChromaDex, please visit www.ChromaDex.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, including statements related to results of the NIAGEN^® studies and their significance. 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. 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 December 30, 2017, 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. ChromaDex provided research materials and a portion of the grant funding as a collaborator for the study.

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