Niagem Study Initial Results
ChromaDex Corp. (OTCQX: CDXC) announced today that the initial results of the first human clinical study for the company's NIAGEN® nicotinamide riboside (NR) has met its primary endpoint. The results demonstrated that a single dose of NR resulted in statistically significant increases in the co-enzyme nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) in healthy human volunteers. The study shows for the first time a similar conversion of NR into NAD+ as has been shown in prior animal studies.
Maintenance of sufficient levels of NAD+ is key to cellular energy metabolism and mitochondrial function. If NAD+ levels go down or are redirected (as in cancer cells), mitochondrial function erodes, creating numerous adverse effects. For example, results of a mouse study conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in collaboration with ChromaDex published in November 2014 indicated that NR was effective at restoring NAD+ levels in mitochondria and rescuing phenotypes associated with a devastating accelerated aging disease known as Cockayne Syndrome (CS). The researchers concluded that NR showed promise as a potential therapy for the disease, as well as for other age-related neurodegenerative conditions.
In the first human clinical study of NIAGEN®, NAD+ metabolomic analyses were completed in blood for various time points over a 24-hour period. For the first time, the study also established an effective dose range for NR in humans.
A preliminary analysis of the results did not reveal any safety issues with NR, which is consistent with previous safety results demonstrated in numerous cell and animal studies.
The full results of the study will be submitted for peer review in the scientific literature.
