By Melane Sampson
Niagen Bioscience (NASDAQ: NAGE) is pioneering the research and development of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)—a vital coenzyme essential to cellular metabolism, energy production, and DNA repair that declines naturally with age. Through its proprietary, patented ingredient, Niagen (nicotinamide riboside (NR) chloride)—the most efficient NAD+ precursor marketed in the healthy aging supplement Tru Niagen and in Niagen Plus, featuring pharmaceutical grade Niagen IV and injections —the company has created a profitable consumer platform that supports biomedical research advancing NAD+ biology in pediatric orphan diseases.
“We have a differentiated business model in that we are essentially an NAD+ company with a growing nutraceutical franchise generating cash flow, allowing it to advance pharmaceutical development programs targeting orphan diseases and age-related conditions,” Robert Fried, CEO of Niagen Bioscience, says in an interview with BioTuesdays.
He adds that Niagen Bioscience isn’t just a supplement company—it’s building a multi-sector NAD+ platform.
Mr. Fried explains that NAD+ is found in all living cells—both plant and animal—and plays a central role in cellular energy production. Inside mitochondria, which exist in almost all cells and generate 90% of the body’s energy, NAD+ participates in metabolic reactions that convert nutrients and oxygen into adenosine triphosphate (ATP)—the molecule that turns the food we eat into the energy we need to function.
“For mitochondria to function properly, they require high levels of NAD+,” he says. “When NAD+ levels are abundant, cells produce energy efficiently and have the resources they need to repair damage.”
He adds that NAD+ levels naturally decline with age and during cellular stress. As the molecule becomes depleted, cells can struggle to maintain metabolic balance and repair molecular damage. “Aging is essentially the accumulation of cellular damage combined with a diminishing ability to repair it. When NAD+ levels fall, those repair mechanisms don’t work as well.”
Mr. Fried points out that growing scientific evidence suggests declining NAD+ levels may contribute to a range of age-related disorders, including metabolic disease, neurodegeneration, and cardiovascular dysfunction. “A big challenge in developing NAD+-based therapies is that NAD+ itself cannot enter cells – it must first break down into precursors, or building blocks. You can’t simply swallow NAD+ to raise levels. It’s a large molecule and not bioavailable.”
Instead, Niagen Bioscience researchers have focused on the NAD+ precursor nicotinamide riboside (NR)—a smaller molecule that can enter directly into the cell where it’s then converted into NAD+. The company’s core innovation, Niagen (patented NR), is a naturally occurring form of B3 that efficiently penetrates cells and is converted into NAD+ through metabolic pathways.
“What makes NR unique is that it enters cells cleanly and efficiently,” Mr. Fried notes. “Once inside the cell, it converts into a delivery mechanism called nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) and then into NAD+, which raises intracellular NAD+ levels.”
Niagen’s proprietary Niagen NR ingredient forms the basis of its Tru Niagen supplement and has become one of the most widely studied NAD+ precursors in the world.
Mr. Fried emphasizes that there are 45 peer-reviewed clinical studies and 175+ preclinical studies investigating the effects of NR supplementation on NAD+ metabolism and cellular health.
Moreover, the company’s external research network includes collaborations with leading institutions such as Mayo Clinic, National Institute on Aging, Harvard University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, to name a few.
Highlighting the company’s four-pillar NAD+ innovation platform, Mr. Fried says that Niagen initially commercialized its science through the consumer supplement market but now sees opportunities across multiple healthcare and wellness sectors. “We are currently building four major verticals around our NAD+ expertise.”
The dietary supplement Tru Niagen remains the company’s core revenue driver, providing recurring cash flow that funds ongoing research and development.
Niagen NR is also licensed to select third-party brands under tightly controlled partnerships. “We are very selective about who we work with,” Mr. Fried contends. “We want to partner with companies that respect the science and market responsibly.”
He indicates that Niagen Bioscience has also developed pharmaceutical-grade Niagen NR formulations under the brand Niagen Plus, designed for injection or intravenous administration. Because oral supplements must pass through digestion and liver metabolism before entering circulation, injectable delivery can elevate NAD+ levels far more rapidly. When Niagen NR is delivered intravenously, NAD+ levels can rise within minutes rather than over weeks.
The company also has plans to launch new pharmaceutical products. Another emerging vertical is dermatology. Niagen Bioscience introduced the Niagen Skincare Innovation Lab—a dedicated platform designed to boost NAD+ levels directly within skin cells. Its first product release is Niagen NanoCloud.
According to Mr. Fried, early data suggest NR may outperform niacinamide—a widely used vitamin B3 derivative found in many skincare products. “We know that Niagen NR can penetrate the skin and elevate NAD+ levels in damaged cells. That opens the door to significant opportunities in dermatology and cosmetics.”
While Niagen Bioscience is expanding its NAD+ platform into areas such as dermatology and injectables, its most ambitious efforts lie in pharmaceutical development targeting rare genetic diseases that weaken cellular repair mechanisms. Several of these conditions involve severe defects in DNA repair and cellular metabolism, leading to rapid, premature aging and neurological decline in children.
Among the rare diseases the company is focused on are ataxia-telangiectasia and Werner syndrome.
“These diseases are heartbreaking,” Mr. Fried says. “Children essentially experience accelerated aging because their cells cannot repair damage properly.”
He adds that early studies suggest NAD+ may help improve metabolic functioning in affected patients. “It’s not curative, but the children appear to function better metabolically, and their overall health and quality of life improve.”
Within its pharmaceutical vertical, the company is advancing a new molecule, named NB-4168, designed specifically for pharmaceutical applications. “This differentiated novel molecule improves our ability to receive drug approval and potentially spin out a biotech company or partner with pharmaceutical companies interested in licensing the drug.”
From a business standpoint, Mr. Fried says that orphan disease programs require significantly less capital than large therapeutic categories. “Orphan disease clinical programs are smaller and more focused. That allows us to pursue them in a disciplined way without taking on large amounts of capital risk.”
For most biotechnology companies, the path to drug development begins with venture capital and years of clinical risk. “We are pursuing a different path using revenue from our consumer health business to fund research into other NAD+-related verticals, such as therapies for pediatric diseases with high unmet need,” he says.
The company’s scientific depth and intellectual property are substantial, with a portfolio that includes more than 100 patents covering NAD+-related compounds and metabolic pathways. Through its external research program, Niagen Bioscience has supported more than 300 academic collaborations investigating NAD+ biology and therapeutic potential.
To date, more than $200 million in third-party research funding has supported studies involving the company’s proprietary compounds.
If NAD+ biology proves central to aging and cellular repair, the therapeutic implications could extend far beyond rare diseases—from neurodegeneration to metabolic disorders and regenerative medicine.
Mr. Fried says the company’s long-term opportunity spans multiple sectors, including health supplements, injectables, dermatology, and rare disease therapeutics. “For healthcare investors and pharmaceutical partners, Niagen Bioscience represents a rare combination of consumer revenue, deep scientific research, and pharmaceutical optionality. We’re building a business that generates cash today while investing in the science that could transform healthcare tomorrow.”
He adds that ultimately the company’s strategy rests on a belief that NAD+ metabolism sits at the center of cellular health. “If you look across biology, NAD+ touches almost every major metabolic pathway. We understand how to restore NAD+ in damaged cells, and we understand that the implications for human health could be enormous.”
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