Nutrigenomics-based functional food ingredient going on market.

PRNewswire - WellGen, Inc., a biotechnology company using nutrigenomics to discover and develop food ingredients for wellness products, announced on July 10, 2007 the award of a patent for “Black Tea Extract for Prevention of Disease” for its proprietary product, WG0401, an enriched extract from black tea which has demonstrated inflammation-fighting properties.

WellGen will begin marketing WG0401 as a nutritional supplement with distinct new benefits due to the depth of scientific research supporting its performance, the known mechanism of its action at the cellular level, and the quick onset of its activity, which was demonstrated in recently completed human studies. The black tea extract will be marketed for benefits such as promoting joint health and comfort, anti-aging and immune-defense support, and for contributing to cardiovascular health.

Dr. Kathleen P. Mullinix, CEO of WellGen, stated, “WellGen is one of the first companies to employ the science of nutrigenomics - the study of how food ingredients affect the expression of genes that influence human states of health and wellness. We believe WG0401 is the first nutrigenomics-developed ingredient to be commercialized for consumer application,” said Dr. Mullinix.

Dr. Mullinix pointed out that WellGen is continuing to conduct studies for additional applications of its proprietary extract. Specifically, the Company will develop data to support a broad range of health and wellness applications for the black tea extract that are directed to the prevention of conditions that have inflammation as their underlying cause.