Development of a Program to Maximize Industry-Academic Relationships for Nutritional Supplement Research

Abstract

Abstract Objectives Introduction: Many nutrition supplement researchers face hurdles when seeking non-commercially available materials for research. Challenges include difficulty identifying the correct contacts within a company, arranging material transfer agreements (MTAs), and utilizing the products in the most effective manner for success. The ChromaDex External Research Program (CERP) was established to streamline this process for the compound nicotinamide riboside, a healthy-aging nutritional supplement, commercially available as NIAGEN®. Lessons learned from CERP may be beneficial to other companies and academic researchers looking to build mutually beneficial relationships that expand research and product opportunities. Objective: Evaluate the metamorphosis of the MTA program into CERP, as a model for building relationships between nutrition supplement companies and academic investigators. Methods The process for obtaining a ChromaDex MTA was critically evaluated by various internal and external stakeholders. Recommendations were implemented and a six-month programmatic assessment was conducted. Results From 2013 to 2018, ChromaDex issued 175 MTAs to various academic, governmental, and industry researchers, providing preclinical and clinical materials. Evaluation of the program revealed that several MTA requests were missed, agreements were not enforced, and research relationships were not maximized. To improve, the program was re-branded as CERP and multiple changes were implemented. CERP is now comprised of a core team with support from an internal science team (ST). MTA requests now require an application that is reviewed by the ST (35% approval). The ST utilize rubrics and provide protocol recommendations to increase the project's probability of success. Once accepted into the program, investigators are required to communicate regularly with CERP in the form of progress reports. In turn, CERP provides confidential peer-review of manuscripts and intellectual property recommendations to the investigators. Lastly, a CERP webpage and newsletter were established to improve program visibility and accessibility. Conclusions CERP is serving as a model in the nutrition supplement industry for fostering academic-industry relationships and advancing science. Funding Sources None.