ChromaDex partners with Watsons to launch healthy ageing supplement in Asia

11-Sep-2017 - Last updated on 12-Sep-2017 at 00:52 GMT

The supplement is said to have anti-ageing benefits.

Botanical ingredient and analytics firm ChromaDex has partnered with Hong Kong-based retailer AS Watson to launch its US-made dietary supplement TRU NIAGEN in Asia.

The supplement will go on sale from September in over 100 Watsons stores in Hong Kong, as well as the Watsons Hong Kong e-store.

ChromaDex CEO and co-founder Frank Jaksch, Jr. said, “We’re excited to have a premier partner in Watsons for the launch of TRU NIAGEN in Asia. They are globally renowned for offering a market-leading product range, and exceptional personalised consultation to educate their consumers.”

Supplementary information

The product features ChromaDex’s NIAGEN NR (nicotinamide riboside), which is said to boost NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) levels. Nicotinamide riboside is a pyridine-nucleoside form of vitamin B₃.

NAD+ is essential to cellular metabolism and healthy cellular function, with research implying that its decline is associated with a number of age-associated health issues.

The US FDA has granted NIAGEN NR Generally Recognised as Safe (GRAS) status and a New Dietary Ingredient Notification (NDIN).

ChromaDex has reportedly invested millions in analytical research, toxicology studies and human clinical trials assessing TRU NIAGEN’s safety and efficacy.

It has conducted 120 collaborative studies with universities and research institutions such as the National Institute of Aging, MIT and the Scripps Research Institute, amounting to approximately US$50m in additional NR research.

A ‘critical milestone’

Watsons Hong Kong GM Diane Cheung highlighted the importance of healthy ageing amongst consumers, adding: “TRU NIAGEN is a proven safe and effective way to significantly boost NAD+, which may help our consumers achieve health longevity.”

ChromaDex president Robert Fried said, “This critical milestone is the first step in executing our broader expansion plans for TRU NIAGEN.

“With science continually reinforcing just how important NAD+ and this nutrient are to health, we recognise our responsibility to distribute it widely, safely and with the finest partners around the globe.”