A Natural Healthcare Company Pharmanex, Inc. Selected by Nature... Proven by Science

Cholestin n History as a food n Manufacture n Science behind Cholestin u China u U.S.

Red Yeast Rice (Monascus purpureus Went) n Food supplement in China n Spice for the preparation of fish, meat, and bean curd n Rice wine n Traditional Chinese Medicine for blood circulation and digestion n Cholestin = Rice fermented with red yeast

Red Yeast Rice Preparation (circa 17th century)

History of Cholestin n 20th Century u Introduced in the US n 1970s u Link between cholesterol and heart disease u Discovery of cholesterol lowering properties by Japanese professor n 1990s u Development by Chinese company as an alternative to costly drugs u Licensed by Pharmanex to market as dietary supplement

China: 17 clinical studies Cholestin: Clinical Proof for Lowering Cholesterol n UCLA study u Placebo, double- blind design u 83 patients n Average cholesterol decrease of 16% n U.S. multi-center study u Open-label, wash-out design u 187 patients n Average cholesterol decrease of 15.5% Exclusive Red yeast rice -over 10 year research All natural fermentation Standardized U.S.

0 (weeks) 8 Age: years Total cholesterol: > 200 mg/dL Triglycerides: mg/dL Inclusion Criteria: Placebo (n=35) Red yeast rice extract (n=35,1.2 g/day) Randomized Study presented at AHA

Patients’ Profile Treatment groupPlacebo group Number of patients 35 Sex 22 M, 13 F Age (years) 62.7 ± ± 5.0 Age range (years) Disease history (years) Associated with coronary heart disease 57 Associated with hypertension 13 Associated with vascular diseases 33 American Heart Association, Orlando Florida, March 26, 1999

Red yeast rice extract (weeks) placebo (mg/dL) -17.4% p= % p=0.001 Changes in Total Cholesterol

(mg/dL) Red yeast rice extract placebo 048 (weeks) -17.6% p< % p<0.001 Changes in LDL Cholesterol

(mg/dL) Red yeast rice extract placebo 048 (weeks) -23.0% p= % p=0.037 Changes in Triglycerides

Placebo/diet 12 week treatment phase Week 8Week 9 Week 11 Week 12 Randomization 1 week Treatment arm Placebo arm Combined analysis UCLA Cholestin study in patients with Elevated cholesterol

Treatment groupPlacebo group PrePostPrePost Total cholesterol 250±30210±31*255±29250±36 Triglycerides 133±48124±44*143±46146±47 LDL cholesterol 173±27134±27*180±30175±33 HDL cholesterol 50±1350±1446±1046±11 *, p<0.05, compared to baseline. Values are means ± S.D., mg/dL UCLA Study: Data Summary

nPre-treatmentpost 12-week treatment ALT(IU/L)42 22 ± 920 ± 8 AST(IU/L)42 24 ± 523 ± 6 BUN(mg/dL)42 16 ± 415 ± 4  -GTP (IU/L)42 27 ± 1823 ± 19 LDH(IU/L) ± ± 23 UCLA Study: Liver and Kidney functions

* American Heart Association Step 1 diet alone Total cholesterol: mg/dL LDL-cholesterol: mg/dL Subjects: weeks Cholestin (2.4 g/day) Diet* Multi-center Study Presented at AHA

(mg/dL) Total Cholesterol LDL Cholesterol -21.7% -19.5% -15.5% -13.6% Diet + CholestinDiet (weeks) Cholesterol data

(weeks) Diet + Cholestin  Diet (mg/dL) All patients Patients with baseline TG >200 mg/dL -21.9% -15.7% -4.1% -3.8% Diet Triglyceride data

Patients with baseline HDL Male <40 mg/dL Female <45 mg/dL All patients (weeks) Diet + Cholestin Diet (mg/dL) +13.6% p< % p<0.01 HDL data

Multi-center study: Summary n Total cholesterol decreased by 15.5% n LDL-cholesterol decreased by 21.7% n HDL-cholesterol increased by 13.6% * n Triglycerides decreased by 21.9% ** * Males with baseline HDL-c  40 mg/dL or females with  45 mg/dL ** Patients with baseline triglycerides >200 mg/dL

How does Cholestin work? Fatty foods Acetyl-CoA HMG-CoA Cholesterol Other body fats HMG-CoA reductase enzyme Cholestin

Conclusion n Cholestin is a natural dietary supplement n Safe and highly effective in maintaining normal blood lipids n Effective if taken regularly