HONOLULU--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cardax, Inc. (“Cardax”) (OTCQB:CDXI) announced first quarter 2017 revenues from ZanthoSyn, the Company’s premium astaxanthin over-the-counter dietary supplement, were more than three times 2016 revenues, which began in August 2016. As previously reported, Cardax launched ZanthoSyn in General Nutrition Corporation’s (“GNC”) Hawaii stores in January 2017. (See the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for full results.)
“We were very pleased to see accelerating sales this quarter driven by the ZanthoSyn product launch at GNC and strong physician acceptance,” commented Cardax CEO, David G. Watumull. “With the added momentum of our strong anti-aging study results, we are building a strong foundational business model for our future growth, not only in Hawaii but across the U.S. as well.”
Quarterly highlights include:
GNC ZanthoSyn Sales Accelerating. Sales of ZanthoSyn in Hawaii GNC stores accelerated throughout Q1 2017 following launch in January. Developing knowledgeable and motivated GNC store managers has been key to this growth. Cardax has initiated a successful outreach, training, and incentive program for these store managers. These efforts strongly align with GNC’s new business model focusing on solutions-based selling that combines products into “bundles” that effectively target their customers’ specific health needs.
“Our in-depth interactions, including multiple store visits and educational seminars, provide the GNC store managers with a thorough understanding of the broad role ZanthoSyn can play at GNC and in the lives of their customers,” added Cardax Vice President, David M. Watumull, who leads the Company’s operations. “Given that ZanthoSyn can be utilized as a safe anti-inflammatory for joint, heart, liver, metabolic, brain, and athletic health, it can be a foundational product for virtually all GNC bundles.”
Physician Acceptance. Cardax has conducted extensive educational meetings with more than 100 physicians, primarily in Hawaii. Many physicians are now employing ZanthoSyn as a safe anti-inflammatory for joint, cardiovascular, liver, metabolic, mental, and anti-aging health in their practice. Physicians typically begin by offering free samples to patients and then, as an over-the-counter product with no prescription required, recommend patients purchase ZanthoSyn at their local GNC store.
“Physician acceptance of ZanthoSyn has exceeded our expectations,” said Randall Mau, Cardax Director of Medical and Business Affairs and former Pfizer sales executive and business manager, who is leading the Company’s outreach to physicians and the healthcare community. “Our physician focused outreach and education has spurred growth by increasing the number of physicians and patients using ZanthoSyn.”
Breakthrough Anti-Aging Study Results. On March 28, 2017, the Company and the University of Hawaii announced that Cardax’s patented, next generation ZanthoSyn astaxanthin compound, CDX-085, demonstrated an almost 90% increase in the activation of the important anti-aging, anti-inflammatory FOXO3 gene in mice.
The FOXO3 gene’s anti-aging effects have been confirmed in more than 20 studies in humans, one of only two such genes with this level of scientific validation. These studies showed that people with significant FOXO3 gene activation are up to 3x more likely to live to be 100—and with good health!
Previously, in a well-accepted animal model of aging, other researchers demonstrated that FOXO3 activation by astaxanthin extended lifespan by 30%.
About ZanthoSyn
ZanthoSyn™ is a physician recommended anti-inflammatory supplement for health and longevity that features astaxanthin with superior absorption and purity. Astaxanthin is a clinically studied ingredient with safe anti-inflammatory activity that supports joint health, cardiovascular health, metabolic health, liver health, and mental health.*
About CDX-085
CDX-085 is the patented astaxanthin compound in Cardax’s next generation ZanthoSyn product, which will continue to deliver astaxanthin to the blood stream with excellent absorption and purity, but in a more concentrated form, allowing higher doses per capsule and improved dosing convenience.
About FOXO3
FOXO3 is a member of the forkhead family of transcription factors. The human homolog in C. elegans, daf-16, has profound effects on longevity (Kenyon et al. Nature 1993). Scientists led by Dr. Bradley Willcox, M.D., a member of the Cardax scientific advisory board, discovered a genetic variant of FOXO3 in humans that protects against aging (Willcox et al. Proc US Natl Acad Sci 2008). This observation has since been replicated in >20 independent studies. The protective FOXO3 allele (G allele) is associated with longevity with one G allele (GT genotype) doubling the odds to live to 100 and two G alleles (GG genotype) tripling the odds to live to 100. The protective FOXO3 allele is strongly associated with reduced coronary heart disease mortality (p=0.00001) (Willcox et al. AHA Meeting 2015) and the protective FOXO3 allele is strongly associated with reduced serum inflammatory markers (CRP and TNF-a).
About Cardax
Cardax devotes substantially all of its efforts to developing and commercializing safe anti-inflammatory dietary supplements and drugs. Cardax is initially focusing on astaxanthin, which is a powerful and safe naturally occurring anti-inflammatory without the side effects of currently marketed anti-inflammatories. The safety and efficacy of Cardax’s products have not been directly evaluated in clinical trials or confirmed by the FDA.
Safe Harbor
This release may contain certain forward-looking statements regarding our prospective performance and strategies within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and are including this statement for purposes of said safe harbor provisions. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe future plans, strategies, and expectations of our company, are generally identified by use of words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “project,” “seek,” “strive,” “try,” or future or conditional verbs such as “could,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “would,” or similar expressions. Our ability to predict results or the actual effects of our plans or strategies is inherently uncertain. Accordingly, actual results may differ materially from anticipated results. Some of the factors that could cause our actual results to differ from our expectations or beliefs include, without limitation, the risks discussed from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. Except as required by applicable law or regulation, we undertake no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date on which such statements were made.
| * These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. |
